rainier cherry pie.

Rainier Cherry Pie!, originally uploaded by uncommon jasmine.

I LOVE cherry season.  Every year, my hubster and I hoard cherries in an obsessive, squirrel-like manner.  We know how short the season is, and we really try to make the most of it (much to my tummy’s dismay).

Until recently, our cherries of choice were the deeply hued Bings.  They’re so attractively shiny and gorgeous, and as is the case with many delicious edibles, they stain the crap out of your hands and clothes.  What’s not to like?  I often noticed the pale and sad looking Rainiers at Farmers’ Markets and alongside Bings in fruit platters.  I’d always assumed that they wouldn’t be as sweet or flavourful as a Bing.  How could they?  I mean, they’re YELLOW.  Cherries should not be yellow, thankyouverymuch.

Well, you know what they say about assumptions.  (They make an “ass” out of “u” and “mptions”.)  For my first 28 years of life, I was missing out on the joys of the Rainier cherry.

I think that had I known how f*cking lucky I am to live in a region where these little gems of cherryness grow abundantly from July to mid-August, I may have given them a chance earlier on in my life.  Wiki tells me that Rainiers are seriously coveted elsewhere on the continent, selling at premium prices. In Japan, they can sell for as much as $1 EACH.  Well, this makes me feel like a total asshole.  I recently bought some for $3.99/lb.

In an attempt to maximize Rainier cherry consumption, I’ve started making Rainier cherry pie.  This seems slightly egregious, since they’re generally 20% more expensive than Bing cherries, but WOW is it ever worth it.  If you love cherry pie and you want to try something new, give this recipe a shot.

This recipe is insanely easy.  The hardest part is pitting the cherries.  I strongly suggest investing in a cherry/olive pitter.  It’s one of those gadgets that you think you’ll never use, but about a third of the way through pitting these suckers, you’ll wish you had one.  I learned this the hard way.  They’re $10, just do it.  Also, you’ll notice that there aren’t many ingredients here – not even vanilla!  The flavour of these cherries is so delicate that it’s best not to mess around with them too much.

Rainier Cherry Pie

• 2 frozen pie crusts (yes, I cheat.  I like Tenderflake, but any frozen crust would do. Make your own if you’re so inclined.)
• 5-6 cups of Rainier cherries, washed and pitted
• 3 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
• 3 tablespoons-ish of sugar (plus more for top of pie)
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten (for eggwashing the pie-roof)

Place rack in centre of oven.  Preheat to 375F.

Combine cherries, sugar, cinnamon, and tapioca in a large bowl.  Stir to combine.  If you have time, allow to sit for a few minutes for the flavours to marry and tapioca to swell.

Separate pie crusts.  Dump cherry mixture into one of the crusts.  Cut vents into the other crust which will become the pie-roof.  (I find it much easier to do this while it’s still in the tin, rather than trying to cut out fiddly flower petals over the bumpy filling).

Brush top of pie with egg and sprinkle the whole surface with granulated sugar.

Place pie on a baking sheet to catch drips. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is shiny and golden, and the fruit is bubbly.  Allow to sit for an hour for the juices to set (if you can wait).  Serve with ice cream.