Since arriving in Texas I begged my grandmother, MeMaw, to go blueberry picking – something I haven’t done in four years! On our way back from a long shopping trip we spotted a blueberry picking sign on the side of the road and knew… it was time to pick some berries! Upon arriving at the blueberry farm we plucked and munched to our heart’s desire. Rain clouds finally rolled in, forcing us to finish up. We paid for our 20 pounds (about 30 cups) of blueberries and returned home. The following day I succeeded in talking MeMaw into making a blueberry pie with me; this was the first blueberry pie I ever tasted let alone made! And let me tell you, it turned out delicious!
The secret ingredient to a crunchy crust : almonds!
Tartness of blueberries matched with sweet sugar yields the most delicious pies! Tip: when baking pies or crisps, the more tart the fruit, the better the pie… you don’t want those four cups of sugar to overpower the flavor of the fruit.
Summer is a great time for pies, and if you cannot find blueberries: look for peach, strawberry, or even rhubarb; any of these will make a delicious pie!
Another trick: add a layer of granulated sugar directly under the crust, making a delicious blueberry syrup once baked.
Couple your pie with a glass of Southern Sweet Tea or some cool whipped cream.
Beautiful.
