Let me set something straight about raspberries - there is no such thing as a "raspberry". There are black raspberries. There are red raspberries. There are even golden and purple raspberries. But there is no such thing as a straight-up "raspberry".
I say this because I feel very strongly about knowing where one's food comes from, and when it comes right down to it, that means understanding, quite literally, where one's food comes from. Black raspberries develop on canes. Blueberries come off of bushes. Peaches, nectarines, and cherries all grow on trees. And every. Single. One. Of these things come in not one, or two, or even three different varieties, but many, many, many different types. This was driven home for me in the last few weeks when a friend mentioned that up until very recently she hadn't realized that there was more than one variety of peach. Oh but there are! Freestone, non-freestone, red and white. Burbank, Contender, Reliance, even Saturn, which look a little like someone took beautiful round peaches and stomped them flat. Grocery stores fool us (and do us a disservice) by simply labeling everything as "white peach", "red plum", "nectarine", etc. They do it with everything, and as much as I am at their mercy (for now), that doesn't mean I have to like it.
This leads to an embarrassing confession - the Resident Taste Tester didn't even realize that black raspberries were a real thing until long after he met me. What was I THINKING? Shouldn't the fruit test have come in the first WEEK? Shouldn't I have drilled him and held lessons until he knew things inside and out? How did it take that long for him to know that black raspberries, the single best fruit on the planet, exist?
Because, seriously, they are the single best fruit on the planet. I believe this so strongly that I am willing to suffer for them. See? Proof:
Both arms, covered, and even some on my legs. The only way to avoid the exorbitant price for berries, to make sure they are fresh, and to get the whole, true, complete experience of being one with the food you eat is to pick your own. And even though I spent literally days scouting the Internet for pick-your-own black raspberries and we drove an hour to get them, it was worth it.
Please pick your own fruits and vegetables some time. Even if you aren't black raspberry-obsessed like I am, even if you aren't enthusiastic enough to get in there and suffer for love of them, take your children, your spouse, your friends, and pick your own fruit and vegetables when you can. Fruit plants, especially, can seem like foreign objects. They tend to a take a lot more commitment and care than a simple vegetable garden. But it is worth getting out there to see the bounty and appreciate the local farmers who do put the time and love into this produce. Plus, and believe me when I say this, you can't beat the flavor.
Black Raspberry Pie
Adapted from Crisco (crust) and Better Homes and Gardens (filling).
This pie is fantastic. The crust is the same crust I always use. What? No butter? You ask. No, no butter. I have made butter pie crusts. In fact, I remember a particularly embarrassing, gummy peach pie crust, which was the last one I ever made. So sad. What a waste of delicious peaches. The filling is simple, as it should be. Nothing should cover the flavor of a good black raspberry.
Oh, and should you want to pick your own, I have picked at the Champaign Berry Farm, but the berries for this pie were from Moreland Fruit Farm. Both lovely places. Also, should the need for pick-your-own strawberries, peaches, or apples strike (at the appropriate times of year, of course), I highly, highly recommend Legend Hills Orchard. All of these places have the kindest people, the nicest facilities, and the fairest prices I have found. Please enjoy yourselves, and have respect for the hard work that the owners and operators put into their fields. These places are gems.
Crust:
2 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
Milk
Extra flour for rolling
Filling:
6 cups black raspberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the crust, stir flour and salt together. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture reaches the consistency of small peas. Gently stir in milk a splash at a time until the crust holds together and is not crumbly. The less handling, the better, to avoid toughening it.
For the filling, stir together black raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Set aside.
Divide crust in half. Roll one half out on a well-floured surface until it reaches at least an inch and a half in all directions outside the base of a nine-inch pie pan. Gently lift pie dough and drape across dish, nudging it down into all the corners. If it tears, don't worry, simply press it back together.
Pour filling into prepared bottom crust.
Roll out the remaining half of the pie dough on a well-floured surface so that it reaches about an inch outside of a nine-inch pie plate on all sides. Drape rolled dough over filling. Using the overhanging portions of both the bottom and top crusts, crimp the crust around the edge of the plate. You may flute it, as I did, or simply press the crust together. There may be some areas where there is an excess of dough. Simply tear these pieces off and set them aside. They are a bonus (see below)! Once the edge of the pie is well-sealed, use a knife to cut a design in the top of the pie. For black raspberry, I use a sunburst, but you may be as creative as you like. Do not forget these vents. They are very important for proper cooking and to avoid overflow.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pie for 30 minutes, then remove and carefully crimp tin foil around the edge in order to avoid overbrowning. Bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing so that the pie gels properly. Slice and serve plain, with whipped cream, or ala mode!
Extra Pie Crust Bits
Extra pie crust from pie
Cinnamon-sugar mixture of whatever ratio you like
Line a cookie pan with tin foil that has been sprayed with vegetable spray or buttered. Place extra pie crust pieces on tin foil in no particular order. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake immediately after the pie comes out of the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Leave on pan because it isn't worth dirtying a container. They won't last that long.
