When I was around five, my favorite thing to do when I would go over my grandma's house was have a picnic lunch in her backyard. My Yiayia Ruthie would carefully pack up my brown paper bag with all the essentials my "friends"and I would need. She made a big fuss over it and in her gracious Southern manner would make sure the blanket was perfectly smoothed on the ground for my big spread. Her postage stamp-sized back yard became the backdrop for all the enchanted fairy tales I played out with my dolls and her white poodle, Teemy. Later when I was older, she loved to share the story of how I thought I was alone, when in reality she would sit and watch me talking to myself under her oak tree from the kitchen window. This blog is dedicated in her memory and for the simpler pleasures it represents-whether picnicking, hiking trails, camping or simply lounging around in the backyard, there's no better way to spend a summer day.
**Be Sure to check out our free giveaway in this weeks' post**
[1] Folding Wooden Picnic Table by Picnic at Ascot [2] Ceramic Picnic Baskets from Sur la Table [3] Picnic Dinner Plates from Williams Sonoma [4] White Summer Mini Dress by D&G [5] Hurricane Lanterns from Williams Sonoma [6] Gingham Knot Pumbs by Louboutin [7] Rouge Allure Lipstick by Chanel [8] Piccadilly Picnic Basket from Target [9] Swimming Eye Shadow by MAC [10] Polka Dot Bikini by Juicy Couture [11] Watermelon Knife [12] Airstream Camper [13] La Roche-Posay Sunscreen [14] Camelbak Water Bottle [15] Stellar Capri from Gap Athleta [16] Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer with SPF [17] Mohican State Park in Ohio [18] Coleman Lantern [19] Owyhee Sandal by Keen [20] Lululemon Top [21] Eureka
we can dish it, if you can take it…
SOUR CHERRY PIE
Lattice Pie Crust
from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “ The Pie and Pastry Bible”
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold
1-1/3 CUPS + 4 Tsp pastry flour or bleached all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
1-3oz package cream cheese, cold
1-1/2 Tbsp ice water
1-1/2 tsp cider vinegar
Cut butter into small cubes. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a enclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Place flour mixture in food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bar aside.
Cut the cream cheese into 3-4 pieces and add it to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. Remove cover and add water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together. Spoon it into plastic bag.
With the bag open knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a disc and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes; preferably overnight. (For Lattice, divide the ratio of 2/3:1/3 – use about 9.5 oz for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
Sour Cherry Filling
from Food Network/Bubby’s Cherry Pie
(makes 2 pies, so double rust recipe or save filling for another pie)
10 1/3 cups pitted sour cherries1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon tapioca
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 homemade or store-bought rounds of pie dough
Directions and Pie Assembly
In a large bowl, mix together the cherries, sugar, tapioca, butter,lemon juice, almond extract and salt. Transfer 2 rounds of pie dough to 2 (9-inch) pie tins. Divide the cherry mixture between the crusts. Cover the pies with the remaining 2 rounds of dough (in a lattice pattern, if desired). Sprinkle the pie crusts with water, and then the sugar. Chill the pie in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Place bottom of crust in 9” pie pan and add the pie filling.
To prepare the edges of the bottom crust to be pressed with the lattice dough, brush egg yolk (separated from egg white) around edges before you start placing the lattice strips down.
Go back to rolled dough we have prepared for the top lattice. Cut dough into strips. Begin to weave lattice top, by taking your dough stips and alternating above and below your other strips. Be careful when handling your dough strips as it may have a tendency of tearing apart. If your strip breaks, just wet it down and pinch back together. Use the long strips at the center of the pie and shorter strips toward the edges.
When your lattice is in place, trim excess dough leaving about 1/2" dough hanging over to seal edges and make a decorative border. Roll dough from bottom crust around the ends of the lattice strips and around the edge of the pan, down into place on top of the pie. Pinch the edges in an attempt to make a consistent pattern. Brush the top of the pie with remaining egg yolk.
Place bottom of crust in 9” pie pan and add the pie filling.
To prepare the edges of the bottom crust to be pressed with the lattice dough, brush egg yolk (separated from egg white) around edges before you start placing the lattice strips down.
Go back to rolled dough we have prepared for the top lattice. Cut dough into strips. Begin to weave lattice top, by taking your dough stips and alternating above and below your other strips. Be careful when handling your dough strips as it may have a tendency of tearing apart. If your strip breaks, just wet it down and pinch back together. Use the long strips at the center of the pie and shorter strips toward the edges.
When your lattice is in place, trim excess dough leaving about 1/2" dough hanging over to seal edges and make a decorative border. Roll dough from bottom crust around the ends of the lattice strips and around the edge of the pan, down into place on top of the pie. Pinch the edges in an attempt to make a consistent pattern. Brush the top of the pie with remaining egg yolk.
Place the pies on baking sheets and transfer to the oven. Bake about 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and continue baking until the filling bubbles and the crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool the pies on wire rack at least 2 hours before slicing. Store at room temperature up to 2 days.
Message from the Food Network: This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
***Check out our giveaway, It’s easy to enter and best of all its free.***
**ENTER TO WIN THIS PICNIC BASKET**
· To enter, leave a comment on this post.
· Comments must be left by 11:59pm on July 13, 2012 to be entered in the drawing. Contest open to entrants within the continental US
· Each comment will be entered into a drawing and one winner will be randomly selected from those entries.
· The winner will be contacted via email and will be notified by Monday July 16, 2012, so please include valid email address in your comment.
· Winner’s prize will be shipped by the publisher after the mailing address is provided. After the prize is claimed the winner will be announced on the website.
We are pleased to annouce our lucky winner from last month's post, Alexsandra of Lakewood, Ohio! Congrats Alexsandra, hope you are enjoying your bud vases.
We are pleased to annouce our lucky winner from last month's post, Alexsandra of Lakewood, Ohio! Congrats Alexsandra, hope you are enjoying your bud vases.
