10 Weeks ~ 10 Pies ~ 10 People ~ 10 Virtues

There’s no sweeter way to honor those who have impacted my life with virtue than by baking pie.  For the next 10 weeks, I will be spotlighting a pie each week that represents a special person in my life that has passed on one of life’s important virtues to me.

Week Two    

There are no two people that I have more respect for than my maternal grandparents.  I attribute many of the virtues that comprise my moral well being to them yet will focus on the two that stand out most, diligence and discipline.

My grandfather, Frederick Charles Wegner, was a farmer for the majority of his young life, raising sheep and chickens, 200 of each, on a farm in Southeastern Michigan.  From what I know of farming, it’s one of the most difficult, labor intensive jobs there is.  The days are long and the work tiring.  It takes a strong person to be a successful farmer, not only physically, but mentally as well.  The way he chose to live his life required a tremendous amount of diligence.  Diligence, meaning conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task; giving the degree of care required in a given situation.  Some might call my grandfather a perfectionist which has taken on some negative connotation in recent time.  What I remember of my grandfather’s work is that he did pay proper attention to any task before him; he did things right.  He held himself and others to a high standard and it showed in the quality of work that he produced. 

Not only was my grandfather a farmer, he was also a collector of stamps and coins, two of the oldest and most respected hobbies in the world.  The way his collections were preserved and displayed would have put any fellow collector to shame.  His books were meticulous and organized with the utmost attention and care.  The diligence that my grandfather brought to his work was very impressionable on me as a child and is certainly recognizable in my life as well.  Rarely, will I take on a task unless I have confidence that I can do it well and right.  I struggle with those who are satisfied when a job is complete even if it’s not done properly.  I’m not a fan of short cuts and have been known to redo things 2 or 3 times to make sure they’re done right regardless of whether the shortcuts are visible to others.  It’s in the knowing that a project was completed thoroughly that pride and satisfaction flourish and the knowing that something wasn’t completed properly that disappointment sets in.

Until his death in 2003, my grandfather was married to my grandmother, Ruth Marceile Wegner (Ackley) for 63 years.  If that isn’t the definition of stand by your man, I’m not sure what is.  With poise, steadiness, and composure, she exhibits discipline in the way she conducts herself.  Discipline, the trait of being well behaved and under control, can be a daunting virtue to possess and one that needs to be balanced with laughter and fun.  It is from my grandmother that I learned how to behave in church, the proper way to host a guest, and how one should not play with their dirty bare feet while seated for a meal at the picnic table.  Though she was stern at times, she got her point across with love and a caring desire to teach a child what was proper. She defines her day by her routine.  Every breakfast starts out with a grapefruit half, perfectly sectioned and sprinkled with sugar, and your stomach can become synched to the timing of the rest of the days’ meals.  My grandmother is someone who can be counted on, following through on her commitments.  At 91 years old, I bet she’d still tell you that she owes me a letter.

I always looked forward to my grandmother’s turn to bring cookies to church because not only were they the best cookies, there were usually about 6 different kinds and enough for everyone to try one of each.  She’s the source of my passion for baking and the example I try to emulate in my pies.

Fresh Strawberries Photograph by Andrea Karapas

I’ve been strawberry picking with my grandparents countless times in my life and it’s one of my favorite memories.  Not only are strawberries my favorite fruit, but I loved spending this kind of time with them.  There’s an art to picking strawberries. They require a keen eye and delicate hand.  You must look for the berries that are fully ripened because once they’re picked, they will not ripen further.  The best time to pick strawberries is the early morning or on a cool or cloudy day.  Berries picked in the heat of the sun can become soft and may bruise easily.  Below are tips on the proper way to pick strawberries.

Tips on How to Pick Strawberries
www.pickyourown.org

1. Grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion.
2. With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand.
3. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. 
4. Carefully place – don’t throw – the fruit into your containers. Repeat the picking process with both hands.
5. Don’t overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.   The berries on the bottom will begin to bruise from the weight.

If you asked me for a list of my favorite things to eat, my grandmother’s French Strawberry Glacé Pie would certainly be on that list.  It’s sweet and comforting, bringing back warm memories of two very special people in my life.  The key ingredient in this pie is the layer of cream cheese spread over the bottom crust.  The combination of sweet strawberries and cream cheese is delightful.

I made two pies this week to honor both my grandparents for the many virtues they passed along to me, but specifically diligence and discipline.  The effort and commitment they both put into their work has never gone unnoticed by me or anyone else whose life they have touched.

French Strawberry Glacé Pie Photograph by Andrea Karapas

French Strawberry Glacé Pie Photograph by Andrea Karapas

Slice of French Strawberry Glacé Pie Photograph by Andrea Karapas

French Strawberry Glacé Pie
Ingredients: 
2 qts. fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup water
Instructions:
For the filling, wash, drain and hull berries.  Simmer together: 1 cup berries and 2/3 cup water for about 3 minutes.  Blend together: 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/3 cup water and add to boiling mixture.  Boil 1 minute stirring constantly.  Cool.  Spread 4 ounces softened cream cheese over 9″ prebaked pie shell (see For the love of PIE ~ Week One for recipe).  Add 2 1/2 cups quartered berries over cream cheese in pie shell.  Cover with cooled mixture and garnish with 1/2 cup choice berries, halved.  Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hrs.  Serve with whipped cream or softened ice cream.

Basic Flaky Pie Pastry Recipe from: 
Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie    By~ Ken Haedrich