Cherry Pie

Hope, Levi's fiance, has a cherry tree in her family's yard. It is a bing cherry tree if I am not mistaken.

The cherries are wonderfully plump, juicy, and tart - and I was the proud recipient of a zip lock bag full of them the other night!

They are absolutely tasty! I can eat them straight off the tree - but they are even better in a pie!

This is a recipe from the cookbook Mother made for me, my sister, and my sister-in-law. Cherries aside, it is the almond extract that makes the pie!

2 cans of tart cherries/or 4 cups of fresh, pitted tart cherries
2 1/2 Tbsp. tapioca (quick cooking)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 drops of red food coloring (if using canned tart cherries)
1 1/4 cup sugar (I usually use less - you know the whole sugar diabetes thing)
1 Tbsp. margarine

If using canned cherries, drain cherries reserving a small amount of liquid. Add tapioca, salt, almond extract, lemon juice and food coloring. If using fresh cherries add those ingredients to a small amount of water, or squeeze a few extra cherries to make juice.

Add cherries and 1 cup (or less) sugar. Mix and let stand while making pie crust.

Fill pie crust with cherry mixture. Dot with margarine. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

*Note: My mom makes this pie with a double pastry crust and makes a lattice top. She can do this because her pie crust is always impeccable and never burns.

I, on the other hand, usually make all my pies into cobblers. No fluting involved.

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