The Joy of Strawberry Pie

When we were young and industrious, Mark and I cultivated a U-Pick Strawberry patch right here on the farm. Every year from 1985 until 1996, we buzzed around in May and June getting ready for the three weeks that, depending on the weather, would either be a complete washout or booming success.

I remember those times fondly. I'd pull on my sweatpants, sweatshirt and rubber boots and open up at 6:30 a.m. People would come from all over with stacks of empty ice cream pails in their cars to pick them all full. Some years our crop was tremendous - Mark really did know how to grow strawberries and it helped that we hit upon a June bearing variety, the Glooscap, that produced particularly well in our soil.

Some of our pickers were the best customers in the world. They came regardless of the year we were having and picked, without complaint, even when the berries were small. Some of them would bring along a picnic lunch and sit in the shade after the picking was done. The memory of one group of pickers crawling along the rows, singing hymns is something I'll never forget.

My mother-in-law, Jonina, loved the strawberries. After her morning chores were done she would come out to the field and either spell me off or pick a few for herself. I remember in the early years when were first getting started "Jo" would try and pay me for the berries she picked. Of course I never accepted it and had to act really insulted so that she would stop offering. We had some really wonderful times together picking berries while the guys were out haying. She taught me how to make jam and we filled our freezers full with whatever was left over at the end of the season.

During the days of the Siglunes ball tournament, both Jo and I would each take two strawberry pies down to the hall and they were sold by the ladies club along with pies from all the other women in the community. Jo happened upon the recipe one day, gave it a try and then passed it on to me. As the years passed, it got so that people in the stands would jump down and run to stand in line when they saw us walking up past the ball diamonds with those pies.

After Jo passed away in the spring of 1993, things began to change here on the farm. We shut down the U-PICK as our lives began going in different directions.

I'd like to share with you Jo's recipe for Strawberry Pie:

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp. butter or margarine

Mix together and press into a pie plate. I use a deep dish glass pan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool.

Filling:
1 1/2 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 pkg. strawberry jello
Approx. 5 cups halved strawberries

250 ml (1 cup) Whipping cream
Sugar to taste

Mix the cornstarch in the sugar in a small bowl. Heat the water in a small pot until boiling, then slowly pour in the sugar mixture. Cook until clear, stirring continually. Remove from heat. Pour in the jello and stir until there are no clumps.

Using a slotted spoon, pour in a cup of strawberries. Stir until the berries are coated and then lift them into the cool pie shell. Continue doing this until the pie plate is heaping with coated berries. Then pour the remaining liquid evenly over top. Cool in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Whip the cream with a mixer, adding the sugar slowly until the cream is stiff. Spread on top of the pie and put back in the fridge. Don't worry about how to store the leftovers because there won't be any.

If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment and I will reply.