A Berry Pie Round-Up for the 4th of July

I'm not always the most patriotic person. Lately I've been pretty heartbroken and confused about the state of our country and it's hard to feel like we've really made progress in dismantling institutionalized racism and injustice. But there have also been real sparks of hope: Marriage equality. Bree Newsome. Obama's "Amazing Grace."

Sometimes food-- not to mention food blogging (and about pies no less)--in the context of all of this can feel trivial and frivolous. But food can also be that glimmer of hope, a reminder of our culture and people power. It's sustenance to ground us in place, a reason to gather, something for the hands and body to do while the mind is reeling.

This fourth of July will be a space to think about it all-- the contradictions, the tragedies, the successes. A good time to catch up on some reading and writing, share some food with friends, celebrate the progress we've made as a country and think about what's next.

Here's a round-up of some berry pies and desserts from this blog and other favorites for your holiday gatherings. I'm not sure what I'll whip up this weekend, but I'm planning to let the berries lead the way.

Blueberries
Blueberry Buckle
Blueberry Hand Pies
Blueberry Icebox Pie
Blueberry Shortcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese
Plum and Blueberry Galette

Raspberries & Blackberries
Berry Tartlets
Lime & Raspberry Italian Meringue Pie
Peach Blackberry Cobbler
Peach Blackberry Pie
Wild Blackberry Lemon-Goat Cheese Tart

Strawberries
Pickled Strawberry Piescream Sandwiches
Strawberry Creme Tart
Strawberry & Fresh Cheese Tart
Strawberry Icebox Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Mixed Berries
Berry & Apricot Galettes with Saffron
Berry Cobbler
Campfire Skillet Crisp
Currant Syrup, Switchel, and Gooseberry-Black Cap Pie
Gooseberry-Apricot Pie

Pie for President!

Though we've made our personal presidential pick pretty clear, whatever your choice, make sure that you make one. Because voting is as American as apple pie.

NELPie Cart ChaCha Line

All was quiet in the dining hall. The 6 tables were set with 9 places each and laid with a letterpressed menu for the evening's banquet, which foretold of savory wholesome dishes and good nutrition. Through the paned windows, the western light cast its glint from across the lake, which was serene and glassed at this hour. The only sound was the faint din of the breeze upon the hinged door, for all the students were bathing in their last moments on the docks and cliffs of Wohelo. When suddenly, HARK! a clamor of tin and aluminum, foot and floor, wheel and ball-bearing, erupted from the kitchen, an uproar that could only be that of chaotic celebration and fruity and heavily-sweetened concoctions! Whatever could this disturbance be, but none other than...THE NELPie CART CHACHA LINE!!!!

Sure to spoil savory suppers everywhere by pairing provocative dancing with provocative dessert, the NELPie Cart and its chacha devotees boasted 11 fresh (made that day) and homemade pies:

Crustless Coconut Cream (Obama family recipe) Pie
Banana Cream Pie
Sweet Potato Pie (rectangular!)
Mixed Berry pie
2 Wild Maine Blueberry Pie (Blueberries from Stoneset Farm)
2 Mixed Berry Rustic Tarts
Mixed Berry Pie
Raspberry-Blueberry Ginger Pie
Chocolate Pudding Pie
and a Vegan Avocado Pie

The Vegan Avocado Pie (also raw) has been a favorite of mine for the past year for its lightness, flavor, and ease. I've made it a lot but have yet to blog it. The recipe is as follows:

Vegan Avocado Pie

Ingredients
1 packet graham crackers
1/2 c. Earth Balance (for vegan), unsalted butter (for non-vegan), melted
Cream from 2 cans coconut milk
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. lime juice
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1/4 c. confectioner's sugar

Directions
1. In a food processor, place the graham crackers, and pulse until crumbs form. Add the melted butter through the feeding tube and mix to combine. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate.

2. Meanwhile put 1 can coconut milk into the fridge. After 1 hour, open, and spoon the cream from the coconut water.

3. Add sugar, lime juice, and 1 ripe mashed avocado to the coconut cream. Mix until incorporated and pour into graham cracker crust.

4. Refridgerate one hour until set. Top with mango/kiwi for decoration. If desired, mix another can of coconut cream with 1/4 c. powdered sugar to use as "whipped cream." Enjoy!!! Crust can be made with crushed pistachio, if desired. Agave nectar can replace sugar, for a healthier sweetness.


After the NELPie Cart Dancers wove their kickline through the tables, summoning all NELPers from their cabins and beehives, tempting them from their whole sprouted grains and and beta carotene, they lined up their wares on the table, and served them with a devilish dollop of whipped cream. Just what it did to those NELPers...well, the photographs (by J. Budd and Laura L.) speak for themselves...


Watch out! The NELPie Cart may be coming to ravage a dining hall and ruin an appetite near you!

Davis & Dewald Thanksgiving 2008

Four pies this year!

I made the first two, a vegan pumpkin pie and apple pie, both repeats from the Obama party. My brother cut out this amazing turkey - wow!

The barley crust on the apple pie turned out great. Here's the recipe, adapted from Angelica's Kitchen cookbook:

4 cups barley flour
2 T maple syrup
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t sea salt
3/4 cup walnut oil

This made a very hardy crust that would be amazing with a savory pie.

After a delicious gluten-free vegan Thanksgiving dinner (it was really good), we went over to Meghan and Gahlord's house, and then the two of them, plus JT and Rachel, came back over to our house for pie. Greg made maple whip to go with these beautiful pies that Meghan made.

The first is an apple-quince tart with sour cream - very original and rich with an amazing shortbread-like crust. The second is a Japanese squash pie that was as creamy as cheese cake and perfectly baked.

Greg about to enter the PEZ

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I Made Two Pies... For Obama

The night before the election
With nerves running high
While my peeps worked the phone banks


I made these two pies:

The first is a pumpkin
Which was lacking in flavor
Not enough maple syrup
or spices to savor


The second looked sloppy
But tasted appley and sweet
An American classic
That like Obama, can't be beat.


We ate them together
On Tuesday night
We are all one people
One nation, that's right!

Obamastication: A President Who Loves Pie!

What a week for Americans--pie-loving and otherwise. There is much to say on this historic occasion, but we'll leave it to other publications, for this humble (get it?) blog is one with an eye on the pie. We asked Nothing-in-the-House readers and contributors to make and document their own Obama pies, and so far have had just 3 (and one is a cake) take us up on the offer. Send in those pres-pie-pics, folks, it's not too late!

Here is an Obama sweet potato pie I made on election night, in an attempt to keep my hands busy and think positive thoughts as I anxiously waited for the returns to come in. Here's the recipe I used:

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients
2 ounces butter, softened
2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (from Eastern Market)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
5 ounces (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Nothing-in-the-House pie crust

Directions
1. Prepare Nothing-in-the-House pie crust as per the directions.

2. Mix butter, potatoes, sugar and evaporated milk until well blended. Add vanilla, eggs, and spices; mix well. Pour into the bottom crust. Top, and bake 45 min. in a 350° oven.


Though it was hard to resist, we eyed it nervously, anticipating the official announcement before we could have our pie and eat it too. When the west coast polls closed and CNN made their projection, we finally got a piece of the pie... and entered the Pie Enjoyment Zone with the rest of roaring D.C.

Over at APT, Ward was cooking up his first pies EVER for Obama volunteers at the Portland, Maine office. Here's some pics, and check out the whole story here.

And though it is cake, not pie, this is too good to not post. In Obama's home city of Chicago, Heather was baking this BEAUTIFUL Obama sunrise cake, and then headed over to Grant Park to share with Oprah, Jesse Jackson and the rest of the city.
Obama: A lot of people have been saying they can make sweet potato pie.
Us: Yes, we DID.

Announcing the Nothing-in-The-House Great Obama Sweet Potato Pie (Presidential) Contest!

 

Obama: "A lot of people have been saying they can make sweet potato pie"

At a recent rally in Philly, we learned that Obama LOVES pie (and loves saying the word 'pie'), especially sweet potato.

In celebration of this exciting news, the pie-lovers at Nothing-In-The-House are sponsoring the Great Obama Sweet Potato Pie (Presidential) Contest!

We encourage you to host an Obama Sweet Potato Pie Party in your respective city, sometime between now and the election! Bake a sweet potato pie (with an Obama crust design preferred!), eat some pie, and get out the vote by calling/knocking on voters' doors in your area (for lists of folks to call and ways to volunteer, check out the Obama website). You could also hold a bake sale for Obama! Take some pictures of your event, and we'll put together an Obama sweet potato pie collage on the pie blog.

And if you've got a sweet potato pie recipe that could rival Michelle Obama's mama's, please share it here!