The Fruits of My Adventure and A Grape Pie Recipe

I am still relishing in my weekend in Naples and as I promised, the recipe for the grape pie is in this post. There are some random tidbits from my trip that have created memories for me that I wanted to share with you first. If you just can't wait and just want the pie recipe already....scroll to the bottom!

This is the vineyard next door to the Guest House we stayed in, right on Main Street, Naples. I walked up to it to see if there were still grapes on the vines and the strong, pungent smell of concord grapes told me YES even before I reached them!

The proprietors of the Guest House are a sweet couple with a unique sense of style inside and out. In their backyard I found this fabulous, old, chippy boat all moored up as if it were at the lake.

 

Inside, the décor was so pretty with lots of warm browns, reds, oranges and golds for color, perfect for this time of year.

 

I happened to notice the doorknob on the bedroom door. Very unique!

Joseph's Wayside Market is a wonderful open air farm market with a huge variety of things. I hadn't gotten my gourds or Indian corn yet for the season so I picked them up there along with a Mexican Hat Squash. I don't know if you are supposed to eat it or not.....I just thought it would go perfect on the centerpiece for my dining room table I was already putting together in my head with all the things I was buying. It is that big orange striped thing in the middle that looks like, well, a Mexican hat!

I had seen a blog post on using an old piece of wood or a plank as a centerpiece and then just adding whatever decorative items to enhance your theme. I found an old plank of knotty pine in the garage and that became the base for my centerpiece. I added a vintage crocheted runner for contrast.

I picked up a bunch of Bittersweet at the grape stand for $4 (which is really cheap!) and added my vintage quail planter and some waxed leaves. I love how it all turned out.

 

On our way out of town heading toward home, we found a quaint farm stand surrounded by vineyards with lots of grapes for sale.

 

 

I learned from these sisters that the only color grape to make a pie with is the dark purple, or concord grape. The others are for eating and boy, are they delicious!

 

Oops, I forgot to take a picture of the whole pie before I just had to try a sliver of it. It was worth the not so perfect picture!

 

The recipe I used comes from Applehood and Motherpie, a favorite of mine and a cookbook I have mentioned and posted numerous recipes from. Actually I used three different recipes for this pie from two different cookbooks. My husband's boss said it was the best grape pie he ever tasted so I guess that's okay to do!

Some how-to pictures to follow.

Finger Lakes Grape Pie

 



For the Crust:

I use this crust for most pies because it is so easy and so good. It is also from Applehood and Motherpie.

 

2/3 cup shortening                                                    Cream shortening with salt. 

1 teaspoon salt                                                          Add boiling water and mix with a whisk.

1/4 cup boiling water                                               Add flour. Mix.

1 1/2 cups flour                                                        Press crust into 9" pie plate



 

For the Filling:

This filling makes enough for two pies

 

3 cups Concord grapes                                            
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Wash, drain and stem grapes. Remove and reserve skins. Simmer pulp for 5 minutes.
While hot, press pulp through sieve to remove seeds, or use a pestle and strainer.
Combine strained pulp with skins.
Combine sugar and flour and add to grapes. Blend in lemon juice and butter.
Pour into crust. Cover with topping.
 

For the Streusel topping:

I like a streusel top better but you can use your own recipe for two pie crusts for top and bottom.

This recipe is from Thru the Grapevine, another Fingers Lakes region cookbook.

 

1/2 cup quick cooking oats                                       Mix oats, sugar and flour; cut in butter.

1/2 cup brown sugar                                                  Place on top of pie.

1/4 cup flour

4 tablespoons butter

 

Bake the pie at 425 for 10 minutes and then 350 for 30 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.

Some how-to pictures.....

 

The easiest way to get the skins off is just to squeeze the grape and they pop right off.

 

 

I used a pestle and a strainer to separate the seeds. Worked great!





The finished pie, all juicy and crunchy and sweet at the same time. This pie did not last long in my house of reformed non-pie eaters! The other one is in the freezer for another time.

 

I hope you will try my recipe if Concord grapes are available in your area.

 

Thanks for walking down memory lane from my weekend getaway with me!

 

AnnMarie :)

 

I am linking up with these great blog parties!

 

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Treasure Hunt Thursday

Open House Blog Party

Be Inspired

Oh, The Places I've Been

The Weekend re-Treat

TGIF Link Party

Seasonal Sunday

Sweet & Savoury Sunday

Inspiration Monday

Marvelous Mondays

Amaze Me Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

The Bouquet of Talent Link Party

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday



FRESH Pumpkin Pie Recipe....and a few bonuses!

One of my favorite things to do in Autumn is to go to all the local farm markets in my area to see what they've got for Fall. I live in apple country so there is always an abundance of fresh, just picked from the orchard apples to munch on. I love the displays of mums and crates of pumpkins and gourds.

There is always a crate of pie pumpkins and seeing them always pricks at my bakers' heart to try and make a pie out of one......kinda going back to the country basics and using what is on the land as opposed to what is in the can.

 

The pie pumpkins are usually small and so perfect like this one! So, since I was at the farm market buying my sixth mum to plant (to fulfill something else I have been wanting to do which is to have a row of all different mums in my garden)  I went for it. I brought it home and went online for directions and a recipe. Following is my journey of a new baking adventure!

 

Here is the full recipe so that you know ahead what you need to start:

 

Fresh Pumpkin Pie (courtesy of allrecipes.com)

 

1 medium pie pumpkin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 recipe pastry for 9 inch single crust pie

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup honey, warmed slightly

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

 

 

 

The first thing you have to do is cut into this perfect little pumpkin and bake it just like any other squash. Cut it in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. See that mushy pile of pulp and seeds? Do not throw it away! We will use them later.

 

Lightly oil the cut surface and place cut side down on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F until the flesh is tender when poked (up to an hour). Cool until warm. It comes out looking like this....

 

 

Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel and puree it in a food processor or mash it by hand. You will need 2 cups for the pie. 

 

To the pumpkin puree add the spices and salt. Beat in the eggs, honey, milk and cream. Pour the filling into an un-baked pie shell.

 

Bake at 400 degrees F for 50 - 55 minutes (it took mine 75 minutes!) or until knife inserted comes out clean.

 

 

 

 

The color and texture are totally different from a pie made from canned pumpkin. With a mound of whipped cream on top, my son and husband thought it was better tasting!

 

Bonus #1:

Now comes the fun part! Get that mushy pile of pumpkin pulp and seeds and start picking the seeds out and then rinse them till all the pulp is off.

 

 

 

Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread the seeds out. Sprinkle salt over all to your taste.

 

 

Roast in a 400 degree F oven for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and you have a really good, crunchy snack!

 

 

Bonus #2:

 

I originally thought I would make two pumpkin pies but it turned out I didn't have enough ingredients. So....since I had another pie crust and apples in the fridge, I decided to make the only apple pie recipe I will ever use. The ingredients are all things you normally have on hand and that is one of the reasons I love it.

 

It is called Genesee Valley Apple Crumb Pie and is from the Junior League of Rochester's Applehood and Motherpie cookbook. It is SO good!

 





 

 

Happy baking!

 

........... and eating!

 

AnnMarie :)