Singin' the Blues

 

Allow me to set the stage.

Dusk following a 95-degree day. Sitting around the screened-in back porch after a day of blueberry picking. Hands, chin and teeth stained indigo from the dark, sweet juice. Body tired. Fireflies blink in a field that has just enough light left to see the outline of three deer grazing on what are probably the flowers in my mother's garden. Lilies are popular snacks.

Hands sticky from the heavily-salted corn on the cob eaten for dinner. When, behold! The blueberry pie comes from the kitchen. So blue it glows, iridescent, jam-like filling clear and fragrant. Crust golden and still warm to the touch. We cut into it, crust flaky. Berries burst.

This is summer. 

Jones Family Farms in Shelton, Connecticut is my place of choice for berry picking because they provide delicious recipes like this Double Blueberry Pie. It requires the use of a pre-made pie shell because, lets face it, who wants to use the oven during the summer when your bike is so fervently calling your name.

Elisabeth's Double Good Blueberry Pie

Jones Family Farms

3/4 cup sugar
3 tbs. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tbs lemon juice
1 9-inch pie shell, baked (they have great vegan crusts available)

Directions: 

1. Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan.  Add the water and 2 cups of berries.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture is thick, clear, and boiling.  Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and cool.

2. Place remaining 2 cups of blueberries in the pie shell.  Top with cooked mixture.

3. Chill.  Serve with a sauce of half yogurt, half sour cream if desired. (Or vanilla coconut ice cream!)

Photo by ComeUnDone