Every "ten tips for blog success" post you will find will tell you that your blog should be an uplifting, happy place. You shouldn't write about your bad days and frustrations. It needs to be all sunshine & rainbows. But I just can't agree with that sentiment. It's too hunky-dory for me. I would rather be real. March has been a rough month for me personally, and I am more than happy to celebrate its end. There's been a lot of stress, a lot of changes, and a lot of emotional heaviness weighing me down. This weekend I worked two 12 hour days creating all of the Easter items and filling the wave of catering orders. I woke up at 3:30am. There's not many people who will give you really happy feedback on rising at that hour. But at the end of my shift yesterday I walked across the parking lot and realized that the sky finally wasn't gray anymore, the snow was all gone, and I could take off my coat finally. April is just around the corner, and things will definitely get better. Until Mother's Day. At least it doesn't fall on my birthday this year!
Blueberry Pie Filling
enough filling for 1 nine inch or 2 six inch pies
4 cups fresh blueberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tbl water
zest of half a lemon
In a small saucepan combine 1 cup of blueberries and sugar. Mash some of the blueberries with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to release some of the juice. Cook on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has come to a rolling boil. Whisk cornstarch into the water. Pour into boiling blueberries. Cook until a thick jam has formed, then remove from burner and allow to cool for ten minutes. In a large bowl combine the remaining blueberries and lemon zest. Fold jam into the berries. Now you're ready to fill your crust. I generally use a double crust with blueberry pie because it is a little juicy. I always brush the top crust with coconut milk and sprinkle a little sugar on it. It gives you a perfectly crisp top with a lovely golden shine.
I know berries are still a little pricey. But they are back in season so soon! And then you can fill up as many buckets and pails as you and your friends & family can carry for the most amazing prices at local pick-your-own farms. You can take cute pictures of each other with blue and red tinted lips from all the berries you have been trying to sneak into your mouths while you are walking around.
i'm kind of embarrassed to admit that i haven't made a pie from scratch! well, i made those heart shaped ones for a photo shoot but they had canned filling (sigh). i tend to stick to cobblers or breads instead. i have heard that adding tapioca to pie fillings is really great so i do want to try that sometime!
ReplyDeleteand pish posh with blogging rules! it's your site— do what ya want! it's not like you are a negative person or someone that whines about everything all the time. everybody has rough patches— it will get better! one saturday i baked for five weddings and i'm still alive to talk about it.
you are wonderful and spring is coming so life will be perfect soon!
Agreed: I prefer realness in blogging versus perma-hunkydoriness too, because life sure ain't always full of the latter. I wish you many better, sunshine-filled days to come, by golly. And pie too; it always helps.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear March was icky. But on the bright side, it is over and you made it! :) And not only that, but you also posted a fabulous blueberry pie filling recipe that I will def be trying out when the local u-pick blueberry farms open.
ReplyDeleteIs it the same if I use brown sugar?
ReplyDeletethanks <3