local foods week

We are doing a localvore week challenge, trying to eat as much stuff as possible that was produced within 100 miles. Breakfast is local wheat berries (boiled for 1 hour), local milk, local blueberries (leftover from the pie), and maple syrup from a farm about 2 miles away. It was absolutely delicious.

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blueberry pie

We went blueberry picking at a local farm yesterday and got enough berries for a pie. We used the crust leftover from the raspberry tart, which we had frozen. The recipe is a basic blueberry pie recipe: 6 cups berries, 2 Tb lemon juice, 1/4 cup flour, 3/8 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. We didn't have a double crust so I made a crumble for the top crust.

Crumble topping:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
10 tb unsalted butter, melted
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

To assemble

1. Put lower crust in pie pan
2. Pour in filling
3. top with crumble topping
4. Bake 20 minutes at 425. Turn down to 350 and bake another 40 minutes or until bubbly.
   

This pie is sublime. The topping goes very will with the blueberries.

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birdwatching

I try not to post too many cat photos, but I can't resist putting this one up.

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raspberries and black currants

A few weeks ago we went to a local farm with raspberries and currants. Mrs. Essen made a raspberry currant tart with eggs and milk, similar to the Berry Custard Pie in the King Arthur Baker's Companion cookbook. The farm has four different kinds of raspberries.

Ingredients:
1 pie crust (uncooked)
About 4 c berries
1 c. cream or half and half
2 eggs
1/4 c sugar
pinch salt

1. Line pie pan or tart pan with crust
2. Fill with berries
3. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over berries
4. Bake ot 375 for 30-40 minute
   

We made another half batch of filling and cooked some mini desserts in the toaster oven.

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