Before I start… I just found out Meryl Streep narrated the Audiobook version. I am not an audiobook person, but I would have for her! Okay.
Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake was a hugely popular read last year. I got and returned it from the library numerous times. I kept feeling guilty for not jumping to it right away because there was a long wait. Needless to say, once I gave it a proper go, I loved the book. Witty with memorable characters.
The family of Lara, [husband], and three twenty-something-year-old daughters are all home in Northern Minnesota. It is spring 2020 – COVID is a useful backdrop to have all girls home for an extended period. Home is a working cherry orchard with other orchards and farms nearby. There are goats and shit.
Quote:
Sweet cherries must be picked today and every day until they’re gone.
– Lara
Preparation:
Americans seem to adore all things Cherry – candy, cola, pie. It’s just not that big a deal in Ireland. Maybe we don’t grow them as well (or at all) or maybe it’s just a taste thing. Here is where I make a confession. I have lived in the U.S. for twenty-two years and never had a piece of cherry pie! There, I said it.
I have a great recipe for Apple Pie that I found online at some point. I’ve used it a few times. I was going to make the same pastry, but I just realized it uses a pre-prepared crust. That is a bit too much of a cheat.
So it is now nine months since I read the book. I have been meaning to make this pie ever since! Today will be the day. I got a lovely book for baking for Mother’s Day last week from my oldest. I am in love with the book – and likely all the tastiness inside. The book is Illustrated Step-By-Step Baking by Caroline Bretherton. I am not adding a link. You can copy and paste and look at it whereever you want if the mood moves you. It is gorgeous but I have yet to make one recipe from it so I have nothing positive or negative to say in that regard! Back to pie…..
Since there are one billion copyright issues (I assume), I will not post the recipe. It is “Cherry Pie” on page 304 of my book. There’s a bottom, some ooey, gooey cherry stuff in the middle, and a lattice crust on top.
I woke up with A-Fib this morning (stupid heart shit) but I was determined to get my pie made! I zoomed through the store and ran (walked very slowly) around to get everything done before my symptoms kicked in. By the time I was home and had everything ready to go I felt like crap so my awesome (hmmm) kids helped me and I managed to get the pie done.
The dough didn’t turn out great. I’m pretty sure the Crisco wasn’t cold enough. So when I tried to roll it out, it just fell apart. I ended up just pressing it into the pie dish. I also couldn’t make the lattice because of the not-great dough. So my amazing 12-year-old daughter made some leaves before we copped on that leaves are kind of for fall and it’s May so yeah. There was also not enough filling. I weighed the fruit before I took the pits out, which seems obvious to me, but maybe that isn’t how you’re supposed to do it. Anyway, if there’s a next time, I will double the fruit.
My take:
Well, there won’t be a next time – I do not like cherry pie. The crust was fantastic. I need to make it less brittle but it was superb. The filling wasn’t great regardless of whether you’re a cherry fan or not. I think that might have been due to too few cherries. Next time I will try a lighter filling.
Lesson of the day:
Try everything once – but sometimes only once!
Oh. And crappy hearts suck
eat-my-books.com 