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Christmas Eve Morn, Heather and Greg stopped to visit on their way to Greg's mom's. They stayed for a couple of hours, relaxing before the dreaded visiting.
On Christmas Day we hosted, and my mom, my sister and her family (Nikki & Colin, and Jake), and Cindy's sister Melissa came for dinner. We made a ham, carrots and some salad, and others brought everything else - rolls, potatoes, deviled eggs, cauliflower, pies.
My mom is an amazing baker, except she can't make fruit pies. They're always soupy. This time she tried a cherry pie, and it was nothing but crust and cherries. What should have set up to hold the cherries together was nothing but liquid. I suggested too late that they just put it over ice cream. The pecan chocolate bourbon pie saved the day. Or ruined it, depending on how you feel about overeating on the holidays. Usually I can reduce my portions enough, but this was all so good I had trouble.
But it was a nice evening. We had fun.
On Christmas Day we hosted, and my mom, my sister and her family (Nikki & Colin, and Jake), and Cindy's sister Melissa came for dinner. We made a ham, carrots and some salad, and others brought everything else - rolls, potatoes, deviled eggs, cauliflower, pies.
My mom is an amazing baker, except she can't make fruit pies. They're always soupy. This time she tried a cherry pie, and it was nothing but crust and cherries. What should have set up to hold the cherries together was nothing but liquid. I suggested too late that they just put it over ice cream. The pecan chocolate bourbon pie saved the day. Or ruined it, depending on how you feel about overeating on the holidays. Usually I can reduce my portions enough, but this was all so good I had trouble.
But it was a nice evening. We had fun.
Thoughts
Date: 2025-12-27 07:35 pm (UTC)From:There are solutions:
-- Tapioca or tapioca starch not only set well but are glossy and sweet.
-- In an apple pie, include one dessert apple with the cooking apples, because that will break down to slush that helps bind the others.
-- You can buy bags of pie gel. I don't care for the results, but it does set.
And so on.
However, I note that most cooks have things they just aren't good at.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2025-12-27 08:12 pm (UTC)From:Her apple pies are always good but those are the only fruit pies that work out.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2025-12-27 08:25 pm (UTC)From:I find that corn starch has a floury taste. YMMV.
>>but she also said she used frozen cherries, but not the recipe that's made for frozen cherries?<<
Yeah, not all recipes are bifocal for fresh and frozen fruit. A key difference is that frozen will release a lot more liquid, because the ice crystals rupture cell membranes. But one thing you can do is pour off that liquid from the melted fruit, use it to make tapioca, and mix that back into the pie filling.