Happy Monday everyone! And what a happy Monday it is, because who doesn’t like pie. What better way to start off the week than with National Cherry Pie Day. Here are some facts you may not have known about this pie that doesn’t get nearly as much recognition.
- The word ‘cherry’ comes from the Turkish town of Cerasus.
- Cherries belong to the rose family.
- Canada holds the record for baking the biggest cherry pie in the world. A pie weighing 39,683 pounds was baked in Oliver, British Columbia which broke the record that was earlier held by Traverse City
- Once upon a time, serving ice cream on cherry pie in Kansas was prohibited.
- Cherry pie is the fifth popular pie in the US – beaten only by Apple, Pumpkin, Pecan and Banana Cream.
Of course I couldn’t leave you without a recipe, so here is a tried and true recipe for cherry pie. Enjoy!
Cherry Pie
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh or frozen tart cherries
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 tablespoon almond extract (optional)
- Your favorite pie crust or pie dough recipe for 2 crust pie
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, to dot
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, to sprinkle
Directions
Place cherries in medium saucepan and place over heat. Cover. After the cherries lose considerable juice, which may take a few minutes, remove from heat. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Pour this mixture into the hot cherries and mix well. Add the almond extract, if desired, and mix. Return the mixture to the stove and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. If the filling is too thick, add a little water, too thin, add a little more cornstarch.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Use your favorite pie dough recipe. Prepare your crust. Divide in half. Roll out each piece large enough to fit into an 8 to 9-inch pan. Pour cooled cherry mixture into the crust. Dot with butter. Moisten edge of bottom crust. Place top crust on and flute the edge of the pie. Make a slit in the middle of the crust for steam to escape. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.
Your Realtor and Friend for Life~ Kathy
Healthy Living in Austin, Texas 