FARMER'S MARKET AND COTTAGE COOK'S CHERRY PIE

Even a very shy person like I am can meet the most interesting people in a Farmer’s Market. At the Muskegon market is a lady who sells strawberries and cherries among other things. She is always happy to tell you which variety of strawberries to use for jam or shortcake. She sells four cup bags of frozen pie cherries so you don’t have to buy them in a frozen 20 lb. tub. Along with the fruit she generously gives recipes and helpful hints.

When I use frozen fruit I add more of the thickening agent be it flour, cornstarch or tapioca. When the fruit freezes, water crystals form inside. Water crystals are sharp and cut the internal membranes inside the fruit, vegetables or meat; therefore, releasing liquid when the item thaws.

MUSKEGON FARMER’S MARKET CHERRY PIE WITH A COUPLE OF COTTAGE COOK IDEAS
Every Sunday morning, my Grandma would get up early enough to bake a pie from "scratch" before going to church. Cherry pie was my all-time favorite. I was always around begging to lick the pan in which she made the filling. I swear, the saddest day of my young life was when the first rubber spatula came on the market and into our house. My thrifty Grandma could then scrap the pot completely clean where as before she might even leave one cherry in the pot as well as the filling stuck to the sides.

Cottage Cook Ideas:

To enhance the wonderful cherry flavor I add some chopped dried cherries to the pie. I brush the underside of the top crust with cinnamon to give just a hint of spice to the pie.

1 bag frozen pie cherries and juice, 4 cups or 4 cups of frozen cherries from the store
2 to 3 T dried red cherries, chopped, optional but wonderful
4 heaping T cornstarch
1 c sugar
¼ t salt
½ to 1 t almond flavoring
Pastry for two crust pie
Cinnamon
Granulated sugar for topping

Either put the cherries frozen in a saucepan or allow to slightly thaw first. Chop the dried cherries and add to the frozen cherries. Mix sugar with cornstarch to keep the cornstarch from clumping. Add to cherries and juice. Add salt to mixture.  Cook, stirring constantly, until thicken and clear. Remove from heat and add almond extract. Cool filling slightly. Put first pie crust in 9-inch pie pan. Add filling. Dust bottom of top crust with cinnamon. Put over filling, crimping edges. Sprinkle top crust with granulated sugar and cut a slit in the top. Bake in preheated 400° oven for about 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.

Mix cornstarch into sugar.

Add sugar mixture to cherries and dried cherries.

Dust bottom of top crust with cinnamon.

Add almond filling to cooked cherries.

Put on top crust.  Seal top and bottom crust together.

Crimp edges of crust.

Cut a vent in top crust and sprinkle with white sugar.

Baked and ready for slicing!  Serve with vanilla ice cream, of course.