Dad's Favorite Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Father's Day is just around the corner, and I love seeing all the Dad-themed crafts that are popping up all over the internet - the tie-shaped cookies, the painted stones that say 'Dad Rocks', the King-of-the-Grill aprons, the creative candy bar cards. My dad would have loved all of those things, but he passed away four years ago and this holiday has always hit close to home ever since.

To honor his memory and keep myself from too much introspection, I always make an effort to mark the day in a way that would have been special to him. Sometimes it's reading a nautical book (Arthur Ransome's stories are a childhood favorite), or watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but more often than not, it's baking strawberry rhubarb pie.

Last year, I spent the holiday on the road so I had to be satisfied with store-bought pie (at least it was Amish-made!), but this year, I had the opportunity to make my own. My Dad was a great lover of pie - a fellow sweet-tooth in a house full of savory-lovers - and strawberry rhubarb was his favorite.

We had our own rhubarb when I was growing up in England; a few large plants that sprung up at the back of our garden, amidst some rambling raspberry bushes and a hedge of beautiful-but-deadly foxgloves. I remember distinctly the first time I saw it, the slender, ruby red stalks a stark contrast to the large and spreading green leaves. I thought it was a vegetable (and it is, technically!) so I was amazed when a friend taught us to cook it with sugar and bake it in pies - such sweetness from a sour vegetable seemed nothing short of kitchen alchemy to me! I've been enthralled ever since, and though I love the magic and simplicity of a pure rhubarb pie, the addition of strawberries really does give you something special.

I make my strawberry rhubarb pies with a crumb topping because that's the way my dad liked them, but there is method to my madness - one of the most common problems with strawberry rhubarb pies is that they can become 'sloppy' during baking. Lots of recipes add cornstarch or tapioca to counter this, but I prefer to keep additives to a minimum, so I have a few tricks up my sleeve:

Firstly, the crumb topping helps to absorb some of the excess liquid while also allowing steam to escape easily during baking, unlike a regular pie crust, so there's no need for venting. Secondly, I cook my rhubarb on the stove first, with some of the sugar, to create a rhubarb compote which makes the filling thicker. And thirdly, the trick is to allow your pie to 'rest' before serving. I know there are few foods more comforting than a hot slice of pie with a cool slick of vanilla ice cream, but resting the pie does make a difference - you'll notice that I did not rest my pie before taking these pictures (do as I say, not as I do!) which is why some of them still look a little gooey.

If you really, desperately want to serve your pie hot, you can re-heat the pieces individually after cooling or just serve it fresh from the oven with the knowledge that you probably won't be dishing up picture-perfet wedges. Along the same lines, you'll get even better slice if you refrigerate your pie before serving - if you can wait that long! Of course, absolutely none of this matters if you're just going to eat it straight out of the pie plate with a fork. Or perhaps a teeny tiny spoon. Don't worry, I'm not one to judge.

Disclaimer: I have to admit that I'm not happy with the photos of this pie - Matt and I were so eager to dig into it that I didn't take the time for a proper shot, and it shows. I'm also a little disappointed that I had to use 100% whole wheat flour for the crust. I don't recommend this since it creates a drier crust, but since we're in the process of moving and trying to use up our groceries, I had to make do with what we had on hand. I guess all of that means I'll just have to make it again - soon!

Now that my excuses are out of the way, I will say that there was one thing that completely lived up to my expectations - the taste! This pie was absolutely delicious, from the first sticky-sweet mouthful to the very last brown-sugary crumb...and yes, Matt and I ate the entire thing between the two of us. Somehow, I'm pretty sure my dad would have approved.

Chicago Chowdown: Wan Shi Da Bakery, Chinatown

Yep, I'm (figuratively) still in Chicago's Chinatown, doing due diligence on all the wonderful treats and tastes I discovered there, and today's post takes us to the delightful little Wan Shi Da Bakery on S. Wentworth Avenue.

If you read yesterday's post, you'll remember that my sister and I started off our visit with a delicious dim sum lunch at Shui Wah, so you might be forgiven for thinking that that was the end of our Chinatown chowdown. Of course, you'd be completely wrong - for the simple fact that no visit to Chinatown can possibly be considered complete without the purchase of at least one BBQ pork bun.

I've explained my fondness for pork buns in a previous post, so I'll just say that after chasing char siu bao through the streets of London's Chinatown and Chinatown NYC, I wasn't about to let them get away from me in Chicago.

So many pork buns!

If I'm honest, I spend more time thinking about these little golden pillows of sweet-and-savory, doughy perfection than I'd like to admit, so I was hardly going to pass up the opportunity to eat one...or several. In fact, for quality control purposes (of course!), my sister and I actually sampled offerings from two Chicago bakeries - the other being Chiu Quon, also on Wentworth Ave. - but determined that the pork-filled buns and other bakery treats at Wan Shi Da were most deserving of a review.

The Traditional

The bakery itself isn't anything to write home about, but the service is friendly and the treats - oh, the treats! In addition to the usual Chinese pastries, there's a large selection of fancy cakes, most of them brightly colored and covered with all sort of glazed fruits. We didn't try any of these. No, our attention was quite focused, as it should be, on the pork buns.

The Dry

Wan Shi Da is a great place to buy pork buns, not simply because they're plump, fresh, and delicious, or because they cost less than a dollar, but because they offer no less than three different kinds. You've got your traditional pork bun, your pork bun with sweet topping, and your dry pork bun (think very lightly shaved jerky-type meat on top and inside). Of course we had to try one of each.

The Sweet-Topped

The sweet topping reminds me of those almond cookies you sometimes get post-meal at Chinese restaurants, and while it couldn't woo me away from my favorite traditional pork buns, it's good for a change of pace. The dry pork bun was also an interesting and tasty alternative, but I still maintain that the original version, with its juicy filling, tender dough and ever-so-slightly-sweet glaze is the best of all.

In addition to our pork buns, we bought a few sweet pastries to carry home - my sister bought a sesame ball filled with red bean paste and an egg custard tart, while I tried a sponge cake and a custard-filled bun. Of these, I'd have to say that the sponge cake was my favorite - a pleasantly light and airy cake, reminiscent of Angel Food Cake in texture, but with a more substantial butter/egg flavor.

Sponge Cake

All of our selections were delightfully fresh and each one cost only pennies - I think I paid under $3 for four items (all carry-out items are 20% off, for an even sweeter deal!). I even bought a pork bun to take with me on my return trip to Tennessee the next day, and it was still fresh and delicious a day later, if a bit smashed from the journey. Overall, I'd heartily recommend a visit to Wan Shi Da. In addition to bakery items, there's a small cafe attached with 'real' food and on-site seating - and if there food is any bit as good as their baked goods, I think a return trip is in order!

All-Butter Pie Crust

Well folks, it may not officially be summer for another few weeks, but Memorial Day weekend has passed and it's scorching hot outside, so I think that means we can declare it pie season! Few things say summer like a fresh fruit pie, and no fruit pie is complete without a gorgeous, flaky crust.  Many recipes rely on vegetable shortening to produce flaky layers, but this recipe proves that producing a blue ribbon-worthy pastry is more technique than trans fats (okay, butter is plenty fatty, too - but at least it tastes better!).

Whole wheat flour lends this crust a darker color, but it's still flaky and buttery

In order to produce the perfect flaky crust, however, there are a few things you should remember:

1) Pie crust likes to be cold - very, very cold. Those prized, flaky layers are the product of bits of butter melting as the dough bakes. In order for those bits of butter to melt during baking (and not before) they need to be cold. Very cold. Got it? Do what you must to keep your butter cold - even if it means chilling your mixing bowls, running your hands under cold water before handling the dough, and returning the rolled and cut crust to the fridge before filling. If that's what it takes to get flaky layers, it's worth it.

See those bits of butter in the dough? Those are flaky layers in the making!

2) Use all-purpose flour. I know, I'm a hypocrite. The crust pictured in this post is made with whole wheat flour and it tastes fine, but it's not nearly as light or flaky as it should/could be. Trust me, just use all-purpose. Over-achievers can even sift or whisk it before mixing (I'm not really sure if this makes a difference, but it makes you feel better!)

Whole wheat flour lends a nice 'nutty' flavor, but can make crusts dry and unappealing

3) Mix your dough by hand. I swear I'm not just saying this because I don't own a food processor (although that's obviously a factor). I honestly believe handmade crusts are flakier, and that's because you have more control over the size and distribution of your butter pieces. Food processing makes it too easy to over mix, leading to tough, chewy crusts.

My vintage pastry cutter has seen better days - but it still works like a charm

4) Go easy on the water. Are your crusts turning out tough and leathery, even though you've chilled your butter to Arctic temperatures, cut it in by hand, and used the snowiest of snow-white all-purpose flours? You're probably using too much water. Add it in gradually. Gradually. And be sure not to over mix. Dough should still be a little shaggy/crumbly when you're rolling it out. Don't worry, it will come together.

Hand-crimped, whole wheat pie crust

Okay, now that my pedantic nit-picking has totally put you off pie crusts forever, let me say one more thing...pie crusts really aren't that easy to screw up. Sure, it takes a bit of know-how and flair (or a lot of beginner's luck) to produce a perfectly flaky pastry, but it also takes a bit of effort to produce a piece of floury shoe leather. Chances are, your crust will be perfectly adequate, so give yourself some room to practice and try different techniques, and don't worry too much about failure. Once you've mastered the mystery of the flaky crust, I guarantee you'll be hooked!

All-Butter Pie Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (whole wheat works, but gives a 'sturdier' crust)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, very, very, very chilled, and diced
1/4 cup ice water (minus the ice)

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the chilled butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (you should see pea-sized chunks of butter - these are important!) Stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time, using a rubber spatula, until mixture begins to come together.

You can go ahead and use your hands to bring it together into a ball - just don't let it get too warm! Place the ball of dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and form it into a 1-inch thick disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Dough will keep in the fridge for a few days, or weeks if frozen. Be sure to wrap it well if you're freezing it to protect it from freezer burn (and that nasty 'freezer' smell that things sometimes get). Defrost in the fridge for one day before you plan to use it.

Homemade Artisanal Cheese Crackers

I've been reading food blogs for quite a few years and I've discovered that almost everyone has a 'holy grail' recipe or two. You know, that one elusive food that you're just dying to perfect; the one that sends you back into the kitchen time and time again, searching for the perfect ingredients, in just the right ratio, combined in just the right way to create kitchen alchemy.

Some bloggers have a whole list of 'holy grail' foods - usually topped by French macarons and laminate dough - and while these fancy foods would make The Traveling Spoon's list, they'd be topped by something far more ordinary: homemade Goldfish crackers.

There's just something so wholesome and nostalgic about those cheesy, cheddary little fishes. Devoured by the handful, or eaten patiently one by one, Goldfish crackers always remind me of childhood Sunday school lessons - all Elmer's glue and dixie cups of apple juice.

Matt gets so many compliments on his Goldfish snack containers -
even tough soldiers like Goldfish!

Since Matt and I don't have kids yet, it's hard to come up with excuses to buy Goldfish, which is why I've decided to take matters into my own hands. I've been looking for The Perfect Goldfish Recipe for weeks. I even bought Matt a Goldfish-shaped snack container to take his crackers to work - which is why I'm doubly sad that this recipe is not it.

I made some square ones too - just like gourmet Cheez-Its!

Don't get me wrong, it's a good recipe. It makes delicious, buttery crackers that are rich with the tangy flavor of cheddar, but their open, airy texture and ultra-butteryness makes them more like gourmet Cheez-Its or cheese straws than Goldfish. I guess it doesn't help that mine also look a little bit like sharks! I'm sharing the recipe nonetheless, because these crackers are pretty darn tasty, but you can be sure that the search for the holy grail of Goldfish recipes will continue!

Easy, Breezy Key Lime Pie

When thinking of green desserts, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Key Lime Pie, right? I hope that's what you said, because that's what I'm sharing today.

It's no secret that I absolutely love limes. I'll substitute lime juice for lemon nine times out of ten - I even put it in my water - and if there's ever a lime garnish going spare, you can be sure I'm going to ask for it (politely, of course). So it may come as a surprise that this is my first ever Key Lime Pie.

This cool and creamy pie has been on my to-make list for years, but somehow I always assumed that it's velvety texture and rich, tangy flavor were the result of lots of hard work in the kitchen. This simple recipe proved me wonderfully wrong, and when I discovered that my prized pie could be mine for little more than a can of sweetened condensed milk and a few egg yolks, I had no excuse not to make it.

Krispy Kreme Brownies for Mardi Gras! (Re-post)

Happy Fat Tuesday! I'm going to do something a little unusual today and re-share a post from the early, early days of The Traveling Spoon. It's a long post but I think it's worth another look (especially since only a handful of people saw it the first time, my blog was so new!) and, best of all, it contains a super-indulgent 'recipe' that's just what you need on this traditional day of excess. So without further ado...

Doughnuts + Brownies = THE perfect Fat Tuesday recipe!

Observe the gorgeous chunk of doughnut buried inside that brownie!

Want to find out why? For a brief history lesson, round-the-world tour and one very delicious and indulgent recipe, keep reading....... 

Giant Cookie Pie

I'm doing pretty well on my New Year's resolutions this year. I mean, yesterday I rolled out the new blog design, and some of you may have noticed a definite uptick in veggie-centric and 'real food' related posts. I really am trying - and it's only February.

It's important that I point this out...because I'm about to singlehandedly destroy all my progress thus far with today's post.

See what I mean?

Because sometimes all the spaghetti squash and roasted brussels sprouts in the world aren't going to do it for you.

Because sometimes a platefull of roasted cabbage doesn't let someone know how you really feel about them.

Because sometimes nothing says 'I love you' like a broken pie crust,

filled with thick, creamy cookie dough batter,

sprinkled with a rainbow of M&Ms,

and baked until just magnificently molten in the center.

When I asked Matt what he wanted for Valentine's Day this year, he promptly answered 'a giant cookie.' I mean, really? I offer you the world, and you want an oversize pastry?

I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised - it's the same thing I gave him for Valentine's Day last year.

But this year's cookie is a little different - it's ooey, gooey cookie dough batter, stuffed with milk chocolate candies, and baked into a buttery pie shell (crumbly pieces and freezer burn are optional - but they add extra character) - because like our love, Matt's giant cookies are always evolving.

All I Want for Christmas...

This is NOT the post I'd planned to share with you today, but since Blogger just ate the one I've just spent two hours writing, my cabbage soup will have to wait. So, while I re-create an entire recipe from memory, you can have fun shopping!

Well folks, it's that time of year again. The time of year when Christmas shopping ceases to be proactive and becomes almost last-minute. This year, I've managed to get most of my list covered, but I'm no stranger to the last-minute dash. In fact, I'm sure we've all been there at some point, so if you're still searching for the perfect present for a foodie friend, here are some hot kitchen ideas:

Cooking Classes - Whether it's sharpening your knife skills or picking up some new baking tips, there's a cooking class for everyone. Check out your local community college (even better if there's a culinary school nearby!) or community events center. In some areas, you need look no further than your local Whole Foods or Williams-Sonoma.

Photo from Williams-Sonoma.com

Le Creuset Cookware - Speaking of Williams-Sonoma, this high-end store is one of my favorite places to browse. Notice I said browse, because unfortunately, their beautiful high-end items also have high-end prices - which is why it's doubly awesome that they're in the middle of a 25%-off cookware sale! I've been in love with the silky enamel finish of their Le Creuset cookware (which comes in all those gorgeous colors) for years, and I guarantee you there isn't a wannabe chef on your list who wouldn't be thrilled by finding one of those under the tree!

Pocket pie maker (photo from Williams-Sonoma.com)

Pocket Pie Mold - This is another Williams-Sonoma favorite (I promise I don't get sponsorship), although I'm sure you'd be able to find similar products elsewhere. The good news is that it's a lot more budget-friendly, and still makes a great food-centric gift. For those who follow the culinary zeitgeist (where all things molecular are becoming all things miniature, and cupcakes are supposedly making way for pocket pies) this gift is right on trend. Look for other shapes which could be used with savory pies, or gift a whole set for the true pastry lover in your life.

The Flavor Bible - I've reviewed this book before, but I can't say enough good things about it. Innovative and encyclopedic, this volume really changes the way you think about food and will free you up in the kitchen like you never imagined. If that's not a good enough sell, read the review!

Measuring spoons by Fred (photo from Amazon.com)

Basic Utensils - After working my way through several vegetable peelers and surviving numerous unpleasant wooden spoon incidents (I'm convinced wooden spoons leave the nastiest splinters), I can't overemphasize the importance of having a really good set of basic tools. Peelers, can-openers, kitchen timers, graters, wooden spoons, measuring spoons, and measuring cups are the workhorses of the kitchen, so you may as well invest in good ones. And you don't have to sacrifice form for function anymore; companies like Fred offer whimsical kitchen gadgets (like the Russian Nesting Doll measuring spoons above), while others like Blomus offer sleek, stainless steel style. That being said, my drawers and cupboards are full of cheap-and-cheerful items that I'll use to death - but I'm sure I'll pay the price for my penny-pinching stubbornness in hands full of splinters.

Matt's Sausage and Spinach Quiche

Thanks for being patient with me! I know I owe you all at least a couple of posts, but I spent this weekend in Chicago visiting my sister (yes, the one I helped move from NYC in August) who should be delivering our family's newest addition very, very soon! It was a great visit and we're all very excited, but it didn't leave much time for blogging.

To make up for my negligence, I have a really great recipe for you today- one that's very special because it's one of Matt's signature dishes. I'm fortunate to have a husband who not only knows his way around a kitchen, but actually enjoys cooking, and though I make the majority of meals in our house, I really look forward to the ones made by Matt. For one thing, he rarely cuts back on the tasty things (like cheese, butter, or sugar) in an attempt to health-ify recipes like I do - and the results are always mouthwatering. This quiche is no exception.

We sometimes change up the flavoring and ingredients a little (substitute bacon for sausage, add some peppers or mushrooms - that kind of thing), but the basic recipe is always the same. Also, we typically use a pre-made crust in the interest of saving time on weeknights, but you could easily make your own. I'd recommend blind baking for a few minutes beforehand to prevent sogginess!

Sausage and Spinach Quiche

1 9-inch pastry shell, unbaked

1 cup shredded Cheddar or mozzarella cheese (a mix works great!)

1 cup crumbled pork or turkey sausage, cooked

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper and seasonings, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350°F (you can pop your unbaked crust into the oven for 10-15 minutes at this point, if you wish - I recommend it!). Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese into the cooled pastry shell. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sausage, onion and cheese and spoon sausage mixture into the pastry shell. Beat eggs, milk, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and desired seasonings in another bowl. Pour over the filled pastry crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cold.

This recipe is linked at:

Marvelously Messy: A Marvelous Mess Monday - Dittle Dattle: Amaze Me Monday - Making the World Cuter: Making the World Cuter Monday - C.R.A.F.T: Making Monday Marvellous - Keeping It Simple: Motivate Me Monday - Delightfully Dowling: Mangia Mondays - Skip To My Lou: Made By You Monday - A Southern Fairytale: Mouthwatering Monday - Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms: Melt In Your Mouth Monday - 33 Shades of Green: Tasty Tuesday - Permanent Posies: Tuesdays Tasty Tidbits - At The Well: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Mandy's Recipe Box: Totally Tasty Tuesdays - Nap Time Creations: Tasty Tuesday - Not Just a Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got - New Nostalgia: Anti-Procrastination Tuesday - Sweetology: Tea Party Tuesday - I'm Topsy Turvy: Topsy Turvy Tuesday - Chef-in-Training: Tuesday Talent Show - Far Above Rubies: Domestically Divine Tuesday - Sugar Bee Crafts: Take A Look Tuesday - At Home With K: Terrific Under Ten Tuesday - Premeditated Leftovers: Hearth and Soul Hop - Ginger Snap Crafts: Wow Me Wednesday - Southern Lovely: Show & Share - This Chick Cooks: These Chicks Cooked - Sugar and Dots: What I Whipped Up Wednesday - At Home With Haley: Recipes I Can't Wait To Try - Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday - Blue Cricket Design: Show and Tell Wednesday - Around My Family Table: Turning the Table Thursday - Feeding Four: What's Cooking Thursdays - What Allie's Making Now: Making it With Allie - Bizzy Bakes: Bake With Bizzy - Delightful Order: Delightfully Inspiring Thursday - The 36th Avenue: Share Your Awesomeness Thursday - Simply Sweet Home: Friday Favorites - Creation Corner: Friday Link Party - Fingerprints on the Fridge: Feature Yourself Friday

Have Sweet Tooth, Will Travel : A Few of My Favorite Sweet Spots from Around the World

After sharing Lonely Planet's favorite dessert destinations with all of you last week, I got all inspired to create a list of my own. As you all know, one of my favorite things about travel is the opportunity it affords to try new foods  - and these foods always seem more memorable if they come with a hefty dose of sugar! Here are a few of my favorites from the past few years:*
*This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is delicious!

1) Flapjacks, Tom's Cakes, Cambridge, United Kingdom
In addition to being a the creator of traditional pastries and intriguing cakes (like their Lemon and Elderflower loaf), Tom's is the official purveyor of the world's most excellent English flapjacks (okay, official = in my opinion). I discovered Tom's while visiting my brother at university and have made countless pilgrimages since that inaugural visit. Thanks to my wonderful brother, Tom's flapjacks have made regular appearances amongst my Christmas presents for the past few years. Sadly, I'm not sure how I'll get my fix, now that his PhD is over!

2) Tarta de Santiago, Santiago de Compostella, Spain
The Galician city of Santiago is probably better known for the 700 km walk many people take to get there, but it should be famous for this fantastic dessert. Adorned with the symbolic Cross of St. James, this pastry is beloved of pilgrims, tourists and locals alike. It's light, sweet, and heavily flavored with almonds, which, in my opinion, makes it just about perfect.

3) Cookies, Levain Bakery, Upper West Side, New York City, NY
When I first tasted Levain's Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie, I was pretty convinced that it was the best cookie ever...and it was, for about the five minutes that passed until I tasted their Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie. In any case, Levain makes some of the best cookies ever - even in the face of tremendous popularity and hype. And that's pretty impressive. Almost as impressive as the gargantuan, behemoth, 6-ounce cookies they serve.

On Simplicity: 1-2-3 Blueberry Custard Tarts

After weeks of writing about my visit to New York City and indulging in a bit of food nostalgia, I was in danger of mourning the lack of a theme for this week. Well, never fear - I've found one! For some wholly unexplained and unasked for reason, this week has turned out to be a perfect storm of deadlines, drama and to-do lists.

Though I consider myself rather spontaneous, and even pretty level-headed in a crisis, I'm not really the sort of person that thrives on mayhem and madness. In fact, as I get older, my aversion to drama only increases; the more hectic my surroundings, it seems, the greater my desire to get back to basics, to focus, to simplify.

Apple Appeal: Indiana Apple Dessert and the 65th North Carolina Apple Festival

Did anyone else leave for Labor Day weekend in the Summer and come back in Fall? There's a distinct chill to the Tennessee air this week, and though I'm pretty sure it's not here to stay (yet!), I'm enjoying the first whispers of Fall that make we want to reach for fuzzy sweaters, bake spiced, pumpkin desserts, and stir up enough split pea soup to feed a wind-chilled army.

Matt and I spent our weekend at his family's cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. We had great weather until Monday, which was fortunate since the men spent all weekend working on the front porch, while us ladies explored the local shops and enjoyed a few summertime events. One of these was the 65th North Carolina Apple Festival, in Hendersonville. 

A four-day celebration of Henderson County's signature crop, the street fair boasts vendors of every apple-based treat imaginable, from cider slushies and caramel apples, to fried apple funnel cakes and deep dish pies. Apple sellers slice up juicy samples of their crisp-fleshed fruits, and there are stalls offering face painting, handmade jewelry, and wooden toys. 

We contented ourselves with an apple funnel cake and a few apple beignets, but the festival put the idea of apples in my mind and this week's cold weather has just cemented it. With a few North Carolina apples in our refrigerator, I decided to whip up something warm and apple-y for last night's dessert.

Cold weather always makes me nostalgic, so I turned to one of my mother's favorite recipes - an apple pie with a twist. She called it 'Indiana Apple Dessert,' probably because we were living in Indiana when she began making it, but also because it's difficult to describe exactly what this dessert is. Crustless, but baked in a pie plate, it's one part pie, one part moist apple cake, and one part something else entirely.

In spite of my complicated description, the preparation is simplicity itself. The finished product is a bit rustic, but can be dressed up with a slick of cream or a generous scoop vanilla ice-cream - I've actually made it as a substitute for regular apple pie for the past few Thanksgivings! And no matter what you call it, it's wholly, utterly delicious- a perfect choice for a week that's one part Summer and one part Fall!

Indiana Apple Dessert

4 to 6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced to fill a deep-dish pie plate

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A few drops of almond extract (optional, but recommended!)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Arrange apple slices in a lightly greased, deep-dish pie plate. In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugar and melted butter until well combined. Gradually incorporate flour mixture and fold in until blended. Stir in the vanilla (and almond, if desired) and spoon mixture over the apples. The mixture may be quite thick, so take care to spread it evenly. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the apples are tender. Serve hot or cold. Goes well with fresh cream, a cozy blanket and a good movie!

This post is linked at:
33 Shades of Green: Tasty Tuesday
Crazy for Crust: Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Chef in Training: Tuesday Talent Show
Crumbs and Chaos: Seasonal Inspiration: Fall is Here
Pinch of This, That & the Other: Whisking Wednesdays
Blue Cricket Designs: Show and Tell Wednesday
My Girlish Whims: Your Whims Wednseday
Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday
Something Swanky: Sweet Treats Thursday
This Chick Cooks: These Chicks Cooked
Bear Rabbit Bear: Things I've Done Thursday
Designs by Gollum: Foodie Friday
Whipperberry: Friday Flair
It's a Keeper: It's a Keeper Thursday
Simply Sweet Home: Friday Favorites
Sweet as Sugar Cookies: Sweets for a Saturday
Sugar Bananas: Sweets This Week
A Well-Seasoned Life: Sweet Indulgences Sunday

Cherry, Almond and Dark Chocolate Pie

Can you believe it's already September? The new school year has started, and with it comes the dwindling of hot summer days and the last few luxuriant weeks of fresh summer fruits. Though we live in a time and culture where it's possible to buy strawberries in December and clementines in June, there's nothing quite so lovely as enjoying fresh fruit in its proper season.

I've stocked my freezer with summer's berries and eaten bushels of fresh, fleshy peaches - many of them brought up from my husband's family home in South Carolina where we'll spend this holiday weekend - but I completely neglected the summer's bounty of cherries until this past week. I love the glossy, rubied fruits for eating fresh, or with a dollop of sweetened cream, but I sometimes find the task of pitting them for baking discouragingly laborious. Of course, there's nothing quite like a cherry for richness and depth of flavor, and when I found a recipe for Cherry and Almond Galette in August's pie-centric issue of Spirit Magazine, I knew their time had come.

I was able to purchase a heaping bag of these richly flavorful jewels for a bargain price, leaving me with far more fruit than could be contained in a simple galette - and so my galette became a full-fledged pie. From lack of ingredients I made some modifications to the published recipe, taken from Martha Stewart's New Pies & Tarts, but the pie still emerged bronzed, beautiful, and tasting of late summer. I improvised a cut-away crust to ensure proper baking (I also blind-baked the bottom crust, for this reason, but you might get away with cutting this step) and show off the gorgeous crimson of the fruit inside. The chocolate was added purely on a whim - because I've always loved cherries and chocolate, and because we happened to have some chocolate chips on hand. It does add a bit of luxury and depth to an otherwise simple pie, but if you're a fan of plain fruit pies, feel free to omit it.

The process may seem a bit laborious, but as with most pies, the end result is well worth it. To save time and effort, you can make bulk batches of crust ahead of time and freeze them in single-sized portions. Dough will keep for up to 3 months if frozen.