sweet cherry pie

When left to my own devices, I'm likely to do ridiculous things. Like bake a whole pie on a day when Dave's not around to help me eat it. This happened last weekend, when he was in New York City. It wasn't until the pie was in the oven that I realized I wouldn't have anyone to share it with — or, you know, show it off to. It had such a pretty, golden lattice crust. It just called out for a little admiration.

Luckily for me, my friend Danielle was at home packing for her next apartment move, and she was open to the idea of a pie break. Into the car it went, and minutes later we were eating still-warm sweet cherry pie in her sun room. It was pretty glorious.

I don't make pie all that often, but I really like this pie crust recipe. It was easy enough to work with and made for a wonderfully light, flaky crust. This was also my first time ever eating cherry pie. I'm pleased with how it came out — I can't say I prefer cherry pie over blueberry, though — and the little bit of lemon juice I added really made the flavors pop. All in all, baking this is not a bad way to spend a lonely weekend morning ... as long as you have a friend to help you eat it!

Sweet Cherry Pie

Adapted from Zoom Yummy, which has excellent photos of how to make a lattice crust.

For the crust:

2 and 1/2 cups flour

2 sticks butter, frozen and cut into cubes

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons cold water (you may need another tablespoon to make it all come together; I did)

Sift together the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the mixture, until you have large, coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the dough and add the cold water. Work it all into a rough ball, cover it in waxed paper, and chill in the fridge for at least one hour.

For the cherry filling:

3 cups cherries, pitted and halved

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

juice of 1/2 lemon

Put the cherries and water in a large saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch into the sugar and add to the cherries. Stir. Add the lemon juice. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before filling the crust.

Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it into two pieces, on a 2/3 to 1/3 ratio. Set the smaller piece aside. Roll the larger piece of dough out on a well-floured surface into a 14-inch round. Fit it gently into your pie plate and trim the dough to a 1-inch overhang. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust. Pour in the cooled cherry filling.

Roll out the smaller piece of dough and slice it into even strips for the lattice crust. Crisscross the strips over the pie. (View the recipe I followed for details.) Crimp the edges of the dough together, and use a pastry brush to lightly cover the dough with egg wash (a lightly beaten egg).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, until golden brown.

colchester causeway

My family and I took a great walk along the Colchester Causeway last weekend. It was getting quite dark and stormy, but still ... there's just something about walking surrounded completely by water. The bike path, originally built as part of the Rutland Railroad, comes to an abrupt end in the middle of the water, but you can hop a bike ferry to reach the Champlain Islands.

shelburne museum

Shelburne Museum has a special little spot in my heart. After all, it was the site of my first date with Dave! (Is there a cuter way to ask a girl out than to suggest a museum visit? I think not.) I've only been to the museum a handful of times since, but this weekend's trip was really great.

The museum was founded by Electra Webb in 1947, and is a collection not only of art and artifacts, but also historic buildings. The steamboat Ticonderoga that now sits on the property was moved two miles from the lake! The Round Barn, a museum guide told me, was transported in via helicopter. It's pretty fascinating, and you get the feeling you're wandering around in some sort of Alice in Wonderland universe. (The herb and flower gardens help that illusion.) I especially enjoyed the Ansel Adams/Edward Burtynsky exhibit, and the "Circus Day in America" blowout.

Here are some little details from my visit :)

pasta with corn pesto

My friend Danielle and I loved this pasta dish so much that we didn't even touch our salads. And we like salad. A lot.

I'm not really sure what else needs to be said, other than that this was delicious, even eaten cold the next day. It's basically a sweet, creamy, textured pasta sauce made simply from corn, Asiago, pine nuts and olive oil. With bacon. And basil. It just kept getting better. I think you'll love it, too.

Pasta With Corn Pesto

Adapted from Lottie + Doof

4 bacon slices

4 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 6 ears of corn)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, plus more for serving

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup olive oil

8 oz fettuccine pasta

3/4 cup coarsely torn basil leaves

Brown the bacon slices in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning often. Transfer the slices to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings from the skillet, then add the corn, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Saute over medium heat for about 4 minutes, until the corn is tender but not brown.

Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the kernels to a small bowl; set aside. Scrape the remaining mixture into a food processor or blender. Add the cheese and pine nuts, and gradually blend in enough olive oil until the pesto is nearly smooth. Set aside.

Cook the fettuccine in salted water, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking, until almost tender, but still firm. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water; drain the rest. Return the pasta to the pot, and add the corn pesto, the reserved kernels and 1/2 cup torn basil leaves. Toss over medium heat until warm, adding in some reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency. Season with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Serve pasta topped with basil leaves and additional shredded cheese. Crumble a little bacon over the top.

snow farm vineyard

Yesterday, with the sun shining and the Festival of the Islands upon us, Dave and I hightailed it north to revisit the Champlain Islands. Seriously, I want to move to this little archipelago in the middle of Lake Champlain. With cows and horses meandering in pastures alongside the road, sunny beaches, snack bars, antique shops galore and a friendly small-town feel, I'm thinking it's the perfect place to retire. Too bad I'm only 22.

Did I mention the vineyards? There are a couple, most likely because of the unique climate that allows vintners to produce both ice wines in the cold of winter and a variety of table wines in the summer, according to Snow Farm Vineyard's website. I'd been wanting to visit South Hero's Snow Farm for a while, and the festival was the perfect excuse.

You can taste up to three wines for free, or just pay $6 to sample them all and keep your glass (I think you pay a little extra — $2.50 — to try the ice wine). I sampled the '09 American Riesling, Snow White 2008 and Rose Red 2008, and ended up bringing bottles of the latter two home. After tucking those away in the car, we explored the sprawling vineyard. Pretty, no? I could definitely live here.