Cherry Pie —rsquo; Mrs. Haverford’s Spirit in Every Slice

The week after Thanksgiving has its own character — the deflation of the feast, the return to ordinary days, the leftovers being turned into things that are sometimes better than the original meal. I made turkey soup from the carcass and turkey sandwiches with the leftover cranberry sauce and I ate well all week without cooking much. That's the right use of a Thanksgiving that was done correctly.

Tom's mule book is in editorial now. He received the first set of notes from the editor and called me Thursday to read me his responses. He has a view about which notes are correct and which aren't and he's made his case directly to the editor with examples. The editor has accepted most of his responses. This is how editing should go — a conversation between two people who both want the book to be right.

December in one week. The solstice in three weeks. The anniversary in five weeks. I find myself in a period of quiet that I associate with approaching something significant — not with anxiety, with attention. The five-year anniversary is going to be different from the previous ones. I can sense that without knowing the specific quality of the difference. I'll know when I'm standing at the river.

Made mince pies this week — the British kind, with the sweet spiced filling and the short pastry. A recipe from a cookbook I bought years ago at the used bookstore in Livingston, a book that belonged to a woman named Mrs. Haverford based on the name written inside the cover. I've been making her mince pies every Advent since I found the book. I don't know who she was. Her pies are excellent.

The mince pies I made this week came from Mrs. Haverford’s book, and I’ll keep that recipe private —rsquo; it’s hers, and some things should stay that way. But the spirit of what she was doing — a sweet, spiced fruit filling in a tender pastry shell, made deliberately, for the season — translates perfectly into a cherry pie that anyone can make and own for themselves. If December has you paying attention, baking something like this is the right way to do it: slow, fragrant, and worth the waiting.

Cherry Pie

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 50 min | Total Time: 1 hr 15 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 9-inch pie crusts (homemade shortcrust or store-bought), divided
• 4 cups pitted tart cherries (fresh or frozen, thawed and drained)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (for topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and place a baking sheet on it to catch any drips.
2. Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt. Stir gently until the cherries are well coated. Set aside for 10 minutes to let the juices begin to release.
3. Fit the bottom crust. Roll out one pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, letting the edges hang slightly over the rim. Refrigerate while you prepare the top crust.
4. Fill the pie. Pour the cherry filling into the chilled crust, spreading it evenly. Dot the top of the filling with the small pieces of butter.
5. Add the top crust. Roll out the second crust and lay it over the filling. Trim both crusts to a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold the edges under and crimp firmly. Cut 4–6 small vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
6. Apply the egg wash. Brush the top crust evenly with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Bake. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents.
8. Cool before slicing. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 2 hours before slicing. The filling will set as it cools — cutting too soon will result in a runny slice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 54g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 210mg