Blueberries

"When I see the bright clouds, a sky empty of moon and stars,

I wonder what I am, that anyone should note me.

Here there are blueberries, what should I fear?"

- from "Here, There Are Blueberries" by Mary Szybist

I spent the day at a family reunion at my cousin's farm near Iona, Ontario. The drive there and back was through pouring rain, but our time together was a great chance to catch up on family news. (So great, in fact, that I took no pictures at all. Whoops!) Among us, we have four children heading off to university in the fall – one to Princeton, one to McMaster, and two to Trent. It doesn’t seem like sixteen summers ago that my daughter was learning how to walk by navigating between lawn chairs with the same group of relatives.

Today there were six desserts to choose from, and three of them featured blueberries. I can never say no to my Aunt Lois’s Blueberry Delight, and it was, in fact, delightful. When I told her how much I loved it, she generously insisted on sending me home with another piece, which Andrew and I (mostly me) polished off for dinner.

It reminded me that I made a blueberry pie last month, and that I need to post the recipe today. It tasted like the best of summer – juicy, sweet, and intense. Here there are blueberries, indeed!

Blueberry Crumble Pie

(from Eats Well With Others)

One unbaked pie crust (preferably homemade)

1 egg, beaten to blend

2/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

5 cups blueberries

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pie crust with parchment paper or foil, and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until the crust is set, about 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, then brush the crust with the egg glaze. Bake until light brown, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the blueberries and lemon juice, and toss together until combined. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes, or until berries start to release their juices.

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with the melted butter, using your fingertips to blend.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the blueberry filling into the crust and top with the crumble topping. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and topping is golden.