Baking Memories- Elderberry Pie

I remember my mother making pie in the summer

and autumn.  There was no time to make pies in the

winter or spring because she had to transplant all those

little seedlings all day long.

But in the late summer and early fall- there was pie!

One of my favorite was the elderberry pies she would bake.

Since there were 9 of us in our family – it was never just one pie

– there were always at least two- more likely 4 pies to make at

a time- and they would usually be gone within  a couple of days.

But the elderberry pies were magical for me.

Elderberries grew in our backyard- and we waited  until

they were

heavy and purple and then we picked them by the armful.

The berries as small as bb shot- and the flavor raw too intense to really

enjoy- we would roll the heads clean into a stainless steel bowl out on the

picnic table and when we finally got enough to make a pie- one of us little

girls would run them into the kitchen and empty them into a bigger bowl and

then we would start over filling the bowl.  It took 4 cups of elderberries to

make a pie and our thumbs and forefingers would turn purple as we deftly

took hold of a small branch of berries and rolled them off the tiny little

twigs holding them on.  We would have to keep those little twigs out of the

bowl- as well as the tiny spiders that were hanging out on those branches.

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4 cups of elderberries, 1 cup of white sugar, 2-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice,

4 Tablespoons of cornstarch and a tiny bit of water cooked together until the

mixture boiled.  Then set aside to cool down.  Poured into a crust filled 9inch

pie plate, dotted with butter , lightly dusted with a teaspoon of cinnamon and

covered with a top crust.  Baked in a 375 degree F oven for 50 minutes until the

berries bubble up in the crust and it is all golden brown and purple.

 

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Elderberry pie.

Like my momma used to make.  Smile

International Scone Week- Scones- American Style

I have been eating scones for a long time.

And personally, I like them better UK style.

And Australian style, too, for that matter.

Here in the United States, we have a tendency to add

stuff inside and make them more like a cookie.

We make scokies.  More like a sweet biscuit with

lots of fruit and chocolate inside.

Whereas in the UK, they are like a big fluffy American style,

but slightly sweet biscuits.

Actually- language fails me- it is all English- but we don’t

have the same definitions- like for scones?

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So- since I am an American I went with this scone- Peach Cobbler Scones.

They are light and kind of fluffy- sweet and cinnamon”y” and filled with peaches.

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They went really well with a cup of Darjheeling tea.

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And the peaches I used were spectacular.

But I didn’t like them as much as I do UK cream scones with jam and clotted cream.

So- here is the recipe- I got it off of Pinterest.

Peach Cobbler Scones

3 cups AP flour

1/4 c granulated sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2/3 tsp salt

1/2 c cold butter, chapped into small cubes

1/4 c shortening

1 egg, beaten

3/4 c cold buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 peach or two peeled, sliced thin

Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Method.

Mix all dry ingredients together and cut in butter and shortening

until the butter is pea sized or smaller.

Make a well in the center of flour and pour liquid ingredients into it,

beating egg and milk together and adding flour from the sides of the

well until you have a soft dough.  Clump together with your hand gently

until all the flour is incorporated- do not knead- use more of a folding

technique.  Roll out to a large rectangle,  brush buttermilk or cream on

half of rectangle, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, place the peaches on

the half lined up next to each other and sprinkle again.  Next fold the

other side over the peachy side and press lightly to seal.  Cut into 8 pieces,

using a spatula put the scones on a parchment paper on a  cookie sheet.

Brush tops with cream and sprinkle once again with cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes

These are good served with peaches and cream(whipped) on top.

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In My Kitchen- August 2013

August- all ready?

It is- and that means that this summer is flying by!

A summer like none other I can remember- with temperatures

and rain out of control and my garden washed out

countless times.

But in my kitchen?

Things are always happening.

And by things, I mean mostly bread.

Surprise!  I love to bake and I love to eat BREAD!

So, In my kitchen, there is…

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Bread, glorious, Bread!  A sourdough loaf, flat bread with green olives,

and a twisted pesto loaf.  All delicious and all- almost gone!  I need to bake

some more!

In my kitchen…

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Cookies!

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Jars filled with cookies- wrapped and ready for lunches and snacks.

In my kitchen…

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caramel corn- and again, almost all gone- I need to make some more.

In my kitchen…

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fresh garden vegetables- the tomatoes and cukes are from my garden- the

rest is from the farmers market.  Okra, corn,candy onions, and potatoes- YUM!

In my kitchen…

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a rose from from bush- a Peace rose that is so old it only gives me a couple of

blossoms each year- but one is ALWAYS on my birthday- so I consider it a miracle.

In my kitchen…

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are giant blueberries.  The biggest and sweetest I’ve ever tasted!

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And  Blueberry Almond Bars-recipe here.

In my kitchen…

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are corks from many  happy bottles of wine.  We didn’t drink them all but I

want to make a cork wreath and so I get lots of donations from family and friends.

In my kitchen…

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Chicken Gumbo (without tomatoes- Frank doesn’t like cooked tomatoes.

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and my list of things to do…

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and a messy table for someone else to clean up.  (see note above!)

Well- that is my kitchen this month- productive, yummy and messy as it

is often.

Go to Celia’s blog Fig jam and Lime cordial  and see all the other entries.

And add an entry yourself if you have an blog and want to join in!

Happy August!