The World Needs More Pie

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A Letter — and Gooseberry Pie Recipe — from Switzerland

I thought I would share this letter from Eve, my friend from Switzerland who I wrote about in my blog last fall, when I was visiting her. It’s a nice reminder that love of pie knows no international boundaries.

Hi Bethli!

It’s good you write a pie blog or else I would believe you’re dead. 😉 You don’t answer my SMS, my email, you are never on Skype anymore… But now I know you’re in the desert, and not bitten by a rattlesnake! It sounds so nice where you live. I would love to visit you, but we’re leaving for Corsica tomorrow, going by sailboat, which is nice too!

I have a pie story for you: Last weekend my friend Lidwine and I visited our friend Caroline in Basel. She lives in this beautiful house with a huge garden. We had a nice barbeque and for dessert we had this wonderful red currant pie. The next day we plundered the rest of the red currants in her garden. She gave us her recipe, the result of which you can see in the picture. It was delicious!

I doubt you get red currant in your Texas desert, but if you ever get a chance to get some — even frozen ones will do (I have 3 bags in my freezer!) — I’m attaching the recipe. It’s in German — good exercise for you — I bet you don’t use much of your German out there in the desert!

Love,
Eve

P.S. The picture shows Lidwine and me in Caroline’s beautiful garden.

La tarte aux groseilles (Johannisbeer-Kuchen)

Ca 500 g rote Johannisbeeren, abgezupft und gewaschen
3 Eigelb
3 Eiweiss
180gr. Zucker
1 btl. Vanillinzucker
130 gr. geriebene Haselnüsse oder Mandeln
2 Löffel Paniermehl
500 gr. Kuchenteig
Fett für die Form und Puderzucker zum bestreuen

Gefettetes Blech mit dem Teig belegen. Eigelb, Vanillezucker und ,100 gr. Zucker/schaumig rühren. Nüsse, Paniermehl und Beeren darunter mischen. Eiweiss mit dem Zucker zu sehr steifem Schnee schlagen, mit der Gabel sorgfältig unterziehen. Die Masse auf dem Teigboden verteilen. Im vorgeheizten Ofen bei 200 Grad 35 Minuten backen. Abkühlen lassen und vor dem Servieren mit Puderzucker bestreuen.
Bei der Verwendung von tiefgekühlten Beeren den Teigboden vordem Füllen mit einer Schicht geriebener Nüsse bestreuen.

Yeah, good luck translating that!