I had been telling my old California friend Michelle how the Hickory Pit in Strawberry (ironic...right?) near my old house in Marin had closed and how disappointed I was about it...and how I loved the goopy Strawberry pie there...and that it was just like the kind we used to get at the Bob's Big Boy back in Mount Prospect. She said, that's so funny, there is still a Hickory Pit near my mom's house in Alamo. That's where we got this pie. Don't ask me what possessed me to take this picture...sure wasn't the "food styling"...the first slice is always a challenge to get out!

Yesterday Paton saunters into my office and asked if I wanted to go for a swim...it had been a really hot day, and we both had cabin fever. We go upstairs to change into our suits and while I am trying to pull my suit on, I murmur..."it's time for strawberry pie"...he replies, "you really are all about the food, aren't you?"...I'm thinking how nice the lake is going to feel in a couple of minutes and you're thinking about strawberry pie?
Paton's Mom's Strawberry Pie
Easy and yummy!
When quarts of strawberries are two for the price of one, it's time to make this pie!
Baked pastry shell (9")
1 and 1/3 c flour
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp salt
3-5 T ice water
Bake at about 400 degrees for 12 minutes with pie weights
Remove pie weights, turn pie shell (to avoid burning edges)
Do another 2-4 minutes watching so as not to burn edging.
1/2 c sifted confectioners sugar
Sprinkle on top of 2 q washed, hulled strawberries in glass baking dish
(use partial or extra dark & ripe berries for boiling mixture)
Boil 1 c water and 1/2 c crushed strawberries from above
Strain liquid, throw cooked strawberries away...
Cool liquid for 5-10 minutes & return to the pot
2T cornstarch in 3-4 T water...Mix with wire whisk
(so that when you incorporate liquid, it doesn't clump)
Whisk in cornstarch mixture into berry water mixture
Bring to a boil whisking until clear and thickened
(color is a bit odd--best described as "mauve"...add red food coloring if you like)
Add 1/2 c sugar to this and keep whisking until smooth and incorporated
Arrange as many berries as possible in the cooled pie shell
Large in middle, smaller to outside, 1/2 berries at edge
Pour warm (not hot) berry water mixture on top of berries using a rubber
scraper to assist
Cool
Whip 8oz heavy cream to use as dollop, or top as per the pie shown above
Keeps over night in fridge --- serve when cool or
cold (couple hours in fridge)
Pie has as shelf life of about 24 hours, after that, it's edible but just not as good.
Something tells me you won't have any trouble finding help finishing this pie...so that is probably a "moot point"!
back in two shakes...H2