Cherry Pie

In the U.S. today is Presidents Day. To celebrate the day and honor our nation's first President today's recipe is cherry pie.

Excerpt from A history of the life and death, virtues and exploits of General George Washington by Mason Locke Weems ~

As told to Mr Weems by an aged distant relative who referred to the youth George Washington as a 'cousin': "When George," said she, "was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet! of which, like most little boys, he was immoderately fond, and was constantly going about chopping everything that came in his way. One day, in the garden, where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it."

"The next morning the old gentleman, finding out what had befallen his tree, which, by the by, was a great favourite, came into the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author, declaring at the same time, that he would not have taken five guineas for his tree. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance."

"George," said his father, "do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? " This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for a moment; but quickly recovered himself: and looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, "I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." "Run to my arms, you dearest boy," cried his father in transports, "run to my arms; glad am I, George, that you killed my tree; for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an act of heroism in my son is more worth than a thousand trees, though blossomed with silver, and their fruits of purest gold."

From wikiHow

Cherry Pie Recipe

Double crust pie using pie crust mix 4 cups cooked, tart cherries 1 cup sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a pie pan with an 8-inch round of pie pastry. Drain cherries well. Combine flour, sugar and salt. Add cherries to flour mixture and stir gently. Pour cherry mixture into pastry line pie plate. Dot cherry pie filling with butter. Moisten lower edge of pie crust. Press edges firmly to seal. Cut slits on top of pie crust. Bake about 40 minutes or until the pie is golden. The filling will be bubbling through the pie slits.

The image shown uses a latticed rather than fully covered top crust.


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