by Sophia Grace
“Jah—yes!” She threw her arms around him and planted a kiss on his lips, but he pulled her gently away.
“Now, hold on a minute. There’s more!” he said with a smile.
She looked at him curiously.
“Will you teach me how to clean out the nesting boxes without getting pecked to death, and show me how to gather the eggs without having to put my hands under the hens, and show me how to milk the cow, and…”
“Yes to all of it,” she said with a giggle. “But only if you teach me how to rope that calf.”
He laughed. “Oh, I can’t teach you that. We have to keep some mystery in our marriage!”
“Jake Fisher,” she said with a reprimanding tone.
“Alright, I’ll teach you. I suppose it’s only fair considering all you have to teach me.”
He pulled her close and kissed her again. “And just think, we have a whole lifetime to learn it all. I love you, Ellie, and I can’t wait until November. Do you suppose we could plant some of that fast-growing celery?”
She giggled. “Perhaps we might have to buy some from the grocery store in town.”
“But isn’t that cheating?” he asked.
She smiled. “I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.”
He chuckled. “See, another reason why I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” she said with a giggle, and planting another kiss on his lips.
THE END!
FROM THE CHERRY ORCHARD…Bonus Material
Cherry Pie
Ingredients:
5 cups fresh pitted and stemmed Bing cherries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
flour, for dusting the work surface
(see recipe for pie dough below)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sanding sugar
Heat the oven to 400 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle. Set a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil on the rack. Combine the cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, ginger and salt in a large bowl and mix until the cherries are well coated; let sit at room temperature while you roll the dough, at least 20 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disk into a round approximately 12 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough, trimming off and excess but leaving enough to cover the edges of the plate; place in the refrigerator while you roll out the second disk of dough.
Roll the second disk into a round approximately 12 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Cut into 12 1-inch-wide strips.
Stir the cherry filling to evenly incorporate all the juices, then turn it into the prepared pie plate. Dot the butter over the top of the filling. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together until smooth, then lightly brush the exposed edge of the crust with the egg wash.
To make the lattice, evenly space 6 dough strips parallel to one another vertically across the filling. Pull every other strip toward you, folding it in half. Lay one strip horizontally in the center of the pie. Unfold the folded strips over top of the horizontal strip, then fold the ones that are now under the horizontal strip back toward you.
Place a second strip horizontally about ½ inch from the first. Unfold the folded strips to cover the second so half the pie is now covered. Repeat with a third strip at an equal distance from the second so half the pie is now covered. Return to the center, lay a horizontal strip on the unwoven side of the pie, and repeat with the remaining strips. Trim the overhanging strips flush with the pie and, using your fingers or the back of a fork, crimp the dough to seal. Brush the top and edges of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and continue baking the pie until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack and cool at least 1 hour before serving.
Pie Crust
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl and stir briefly until the mixture is aerated. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s in pea-size pieces that are slightly yellow in color, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Drizzle in 4 tablespoons of the ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. (Add the last tablespoon of water if necessary, but don’t overwork the dough or it’ll become tough.)
Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then use it in the pie or tart recipe of your choice.
German Cherry Streusel
Ingredients:
½ lb. butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 can cherry pie filling
Topping:
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
Heat oven to 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Use 11 x 16 inch cookie sheet – greased.
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Spread batter over cookie sheet leaving margin at edges. Spread cherry filling evenly over dough. Sprinkle topping over.
Bake for
Cherry Preserves
Ingredients:
2 lbs. cherries, pitted
1 (3 ½ ounce) box pectin
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon butter
3 cups sugar
Sterilize your jars and keep them hot while you’re cooking the preserves
Place cherries in a large, heavy duty Dutch oven
Combine pectin with ¼ cup sugar; stir into cherries. Add butter
Bring to full boil, stirring, over high heat
Add 3 more cups sugar and return to a boil, stirring constantly, boil 1 minute
Remove from heat, skim off foam
Immediately spoon preserves into 3 one pint sterilized jars, leaving 1/4” headspace
Wipe the sealing surface of the jars with a clean paper towel, dampened with hot water, to remove any preserves or sugar crystals
Place lids and screw on bands fingertip tight
Process in a boiling water bath for at least ten minutes, depending upon your altitude
When the jars have been processed in boiling water for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lied; wait 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner using a jar lifter and keeping jars upright. Carefully place them directly onto a towel or cake cooling rack to protect your countertop, leaving at least one inch space between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft.
After jars have cooled undisturbed for 24 hours, remove ring bands from sealed jars. Put any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use first.
