Is there an official pie season or would aficionados insist any time is a good time for pie? For me, I love fresh fruit in my pie, and living in the Pacific Northwest, that begins in Spring with the arrival of my two favorite red fruits: rhubarb and strawberries. 

Gretchen and I recently got together and decided at the last minute we should bake a pie. I’m glad we did, because I got to see her art skills at work on the pie top. Some people just create simple air vents with slashes, others make overlapping leafs, hearts, or even a big happy smily face. Gretchen opted for a little nuance of nature. 

The recipe we followed was my go-to on the crust, and the rhubarb strawberry combo hailed straight from my favorite classic pie recipe book, a worn and weathered Sunset Pies & Pastries. 4 cups fresh rhubarb chopped into 1/2 inch pieces, 2 cups sliced strawberries tossed with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 T cornstarch, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (we grated ours fresh). Toss in 1 T orange juice, lightly mix, then pour into pie shell. Top with top pie pastry, artfully pinch your edges, cut your venting, then bake in a 425 degree oven for 50 minutes. 

Welcome pie season!