BERRY GOOD!

Blackberry Pie -- photo courtesy of Hallie Johnson

Hallie's husband Nick enjoys berries. He likes the experience of exploring for berries, picking them, and then making sweet-tart jams, jellies, and desserts. My dad would so have enjoyed knowing Nick.

"Why don't you take advantage of the abundance of blackberries in your neighborhood?" I asked Hallie. Wild blackberries are a big problem in Seattle, but to my way of thinking, the berries just as well be picked and enjoyed when they're ripe. At first they didn't seem interested, so a couple of weeks later I was surprised when Hallie said they were going out to pick blackberries and would I share my berry pie recipe. Here's what I told her –

KATHY'S BERRY PIE

One pre-baked pie shell (I used a chocolate crumb shell)

First, blend 8 oz softened cream cheese, 4 oz Cool Whip (or more), ½ cup powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Spread in pie shell and place in refrigerator.

Mash about 4 cups berries (not too much mashing) and add ½ to 1 cup water. Stir together one cup sugar and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Blend the berries and water into the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook one minute after mixture comes to a boil. Allow to cool a little. (If I'm in a hurry, I will place the pan in cold water for a few minutes.)

Finish by pouring the berry mixture over the cream cheese.

You might recognize this recipe as a variation on Betty Crocker's strawberry glace pie. I prefer to make more of the cream cheese layer. Options for the berry layer abound: you can use a smaller amount of berries, or you can layer fresh berries on your cream cheese layer and make the topping with just one cup of the berries. If you're a berry purist, you could probably just go with fresh berries and eliminate the sauce.

Since Hallie had a business appointment in the Valley on Monday, she flew in on Saturday (8-21). I picked her up at the airport and we drove out to the farm. Mike was participating in a geo-caching camp-out in the Blues, so it was just the two of us – and Nellie, of course.

Hallie has undertaken a self-study to learn about plants, and she brought with her a copy of Berry Grower's Companion by Barbara L. Bowling. First we read about raspberries and strawberries and then we cut back the old canes in my raspberry patch. I'll need to tip the new canes about the first of November.

Then we went down the lane to the curve where Dobson Road comes into the lane, property that actually lies on June's old place -- if that means anything to you. We had seen the raspberry canes there and when we started pruning, we discovered quite a stand. Hallie pruned and pulled out dead underbrush for an hour. I agreed to rake away the debris and perhaps throw some fertilizer on the plants. We're not exactly sure if these are black raspberries or black caps or what. They are definitely wild berries and the county road crew is ruthless in poisoning them if they encroach upon the road.

Next, we walked down the draw that borders the northern side of the property. Nick and Hallie had already identified several berry stands when they were here two weeks ago. Again, Hallie pruned away dead canes and debris, hoping to encourage the plants to bear more profusely in the future. We'll just have to see what happens.

Other berries of interest:

Elderberries abound in our area. Nick and Hallie hope to participate in the jelly making this year. I have "pure cane sugar from Hawaii" available in abundance for the occasion.

Gooseberries and currants. I have planted these without much success, though Grandma Ina had a gooseberry bush that was prolific until it disappeared – probably a casualty of crop-dusting. I'll try again next year – perhaps a different location.

Serviceberry. I think we have serviceberry at the farm; I just have yet to identify it. KW