Fall is my favorite season. I love the cool, crisp air, the anticipation of the holidays, but most of all I love the scents and flavors of fall (DeBrands caramel apple, need I say more?!)

Growing up I could count on one thing happening each fall that has stuck out in my mind as one of my favorite childhood memories: Our neighbor down the street, Anne, would at some point ring the doorbell with a large amount of Concord grapes from the vines in her backyard.  These grapes were like gold to me-their arrival meant that my mom and I would be making grape pie very shortly.

As a young adult, I missed the tradition and labor of love that was making Grape Pie. I would look for Concord grapes in the grocery stores but couldn’t find them. In the past few years, I have found that there is a small window of time when, if you search hard in the produce section, you just might get lucky enough to find a few container of Concord grapes. (Usually they disappear just as fast as they are put out.) If you are lucky enough to find these grapes in the store, you need to try out this recipe-it is one of the most unique, amazing desserts ever, my favorite by far!

Now before getting into the recipe, I must warn that this is not a quick process! You probably won’t want to make 10 pies and deliver them to all your friends (unless you want to spend two days in the kitchen) However, it is worth the effort to make this delicious treat and share it with those you love. This week Audrina and I made our first Grape Pie together and it was so special to me: spending time in the kitchen explaining the process to my daughter, just as my mom had done with me 🙂

Concord Grape Pie Recipe

5-6 cups concord grapes (This is about two full containers)

1 C sugar

1 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 C flour

 

Pie Crust (Make your own!!! If you’re already committed, might as well go all the way!)

I use a Martha Stewart recipe

2 C flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter

3 Tbs Crisco

1/4 C ice water

 

1. Prepare your crust. Roll into a ball, cover in saran wrap, and place in freeze while you prepare pie filling.22. Wash your grapes. Separate grapes from their skins and place in separate bowls. Do NOT discard skins!3. Transfer grapes to a large sauce pan and bring to a boil, continue cooking 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and run grapes through sieve. (This will separate the seeds from the pulp.)

5. Return pulp to your sauce pan and add lemon juice, sugar, and flour.  Mix well.

6. Add skins back to the grape pulp.

7. Roll out bottom pie shell and transfer filling to pie.  Cover with top shell and flute.

8. (At this point I brush on egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.)

9. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-40 minutes. Let pie cool and transfer to refrigerator (It’s best cold, but I can never wait that long for the first piece!)

 

Greatest sous chef! 😉