There are any number of fruit pies that you can make with packaged, frozen fruit and expect good results – berry pies, for instance – but peach is not one of them. Let’s just say frozen peaches are lacking where it matters most, and leave it at that. Which makes a really good peach pie […]

Winter is starting to get on my nerves, a rather peculiar statement from someone who survived twenty years in New Hampshire and now resides in the moderate climes of coastal North Carolina, but there you have it. A few extra decades can turn a fellow into a real sissy. It just goes to show you […]

I get a lot of questions about freezing fruit pies but, truth be told, I just don’t freeze fruit pies very often. When I have extra, I simply give it away while it’s still nice and fresh. This makes for happy neighbors and saves room in the freezer for essentials like ice cream, coffee, and […]

As a child of children of the Great Depression, I come by my frugal DNA honestly. We weren’t poor growing up, but my parents watched their pennies and taught us to be grateful – and respectful – for what we did have. This explains why I have little tolerance for food waste, I’m religious about […]

I know it’s a little late to reflect on such matters, but I’ve often wondered who came up with the bright idea that pie should be baked in a round, deep pan. I mean, what were they thinking? Indeed, you could easily make the case that your typical pie is much too thick and yields […]

I was reminded the other day of summers past when I dropped by my sister’s home and her grandchildren, Adah and Owen, were in the backyard picking blueberries. In my New Hampshire summers of yore, berry picking was a regular pastime with my own children and it was heartening to see that the rules had […]

What’s your idea of the perfect summer pie? A glistening fresh strawberry pie with a hint of spice? A jumble of mixed berries in a flaky butter pastry? How about sweet peach, apricot, or nectarine? They’re all wonderful, aren’t they? But there’s another summer pie you should add to that list, not a fruit pie […]

It’s May – hallelujah! – and depending on where you call home, local strawberries have either arrived or they’re close enough, at least, to ponder the age old bakers’ question: what’s the best way to make a strawberry pie? Seems simple enough on the surface. But faced with a finite window of fresh berry opportunity, […]