As blueberries ripen in Maine, peaches blush in Georgia and olallieberries turn purple in Washington, a cook's thoughts fill with visions of summer fruit pies.
Thanks to the abundant fruit of orchard and bramble, pies that we make at this time of year can be a glorious blend of flavors - honey-sweet apricots and winy cherries together under one flaky-crisp crust, berries thickened into a jam-like filling in another, the rich fruit flavors of nectarine and blackberries playing off each other in a third.
Some of our best-loved pies are single-ingredient classics, but there's great reason to mix and match: The more complex interplay of flavors in a two- or three-fruit filling is set off by the sweet flakiness of pie crust.
And you don't have to peel apricots. Or blanch nectarines before peeling. For baking, nectarines should be firm but not hard; they should give when pressed with your thumb.
Use less sugar and a smaller amount of thickening agent (such as tapioca) than called for in the past. With the wide availability of farmer's market produce, it's best to use both sparingly and allow the true fruit flavors and textures to be enjoyed. Which is not to say these pretty pies are plain-Jane creations in any way. Well-chosen details give them originality and oomph.
A pinch of black pepper in the crust of a nectarine-blackberry pie adds a mysterious and intriguing dark note; vanilla bean enriches an apricot-cherry filling.
To bring the combination of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries to their full expression of flavor, add a little Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, the sweet peach-scented wine from the southern Rhone region of France. You could also use another sweet white wine such as Sauternes or Monbazillac.
A few notes on technique are helpful, even if you're an experienced pie maker. Use glass pans to make fruit pies; they won't react with the acid in the fruit. And chill the dough before rolling it out. If you've gotten distracted and left it in the fridge longer than an hour, let it sit at room temperature for about 15?minutes before rolling it out.
Don't shy away from making lattice or cutout crusts - they're not hard to master and it's so rewarding to see the glowing colors of caramelized summer fruit revealed through the windows of golden brown crust.