A Personal Mission

We just got home

From a short week trip to Minnesota

to visit the Grands

and then on to Wisconsin

We'd been there about 10 years before

For a night and loved it!

And so we went back

With four friends

And rented a house on Gill's Rock

At the very tip of Door County

(sort of like the "top of the Door"!)

A whole week . . . . on a deck

overlooking Lake Michigan

Sigh!

Door County is known for one thing

Cherries!

there you can find

Cherry Wine

Cherry Brandy

Cherry Cider

Cherry Juice

Cherry Jam

Just plain cherries

(in all size containers --

canned or frozen)

And, of course, 

Cherry Pie!

I made it my personal mission while I was there in Door County

to find the best cherry pie!

The first . . . 

Came from Seaquist Orchards

It's pretty with the heart decoration

And it certainly was the tallest of all the pies

And very very good!

The price for a whole pie -- $17.00

The second . . . 

Bea's Ho Made Products

Just up the road from our house

Walkable, actually, if anyone would want to walk after

consuming all those pieces of cherry pie!

(And besides the pies, she has the best bread and butter pickles too!)

Bea's -- looks homemade

A bit of sugar on the crust (like my Mom always did) but "flat" --

more like, well -- home made!

Not all my research was done on whole pies

We had lunch at The Cookery in Fish Creek

And for dessert . . .

Cherry Pie, of course

Big sprinkles of sugar on top

A more modern take on a classic!

And lastly, 

The White Gull Inn

Also in Fish Creek

Where we went for a Fish Boil

And after you finish all the fish and potatoes you can eat . . . 

They bring you a piece (a small piece) of cherry pie!

And ice cream!

While quite good, the ratio of cherry to filling was less

More like the filling you find in the cans of Wilderness Pie Filling!

And the winner?

Our of the six of us, five chose . . . 

And to make sure we were correct, we bought a second pie!

And finished that off in one night as well!

The lone dissenter who thought Seaquist was the best

thought we ought to try them side by side . . . 

For he was sure he was right!

Alas, we ran out of days . . .

That test will have to wait for another time!

However . . . 

In my opinion, the very best cherry pie

Is my own!

Using my Betty Crocker's recipe

and Childer's Cherries

Fresh Childer's Cherries!

(And actually, I do prefer a lattice crust!)

LINDERHOF CHERRY PIE

Your favorite crust for a two crust pie (homemade or the refrigerated Pillsbury ones)

1 1/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. flour

6 cups cherries, pitted

2 T. butter

Put one pastry round in bottom of 9 inch pie plate.    In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/2 c. flour.   Stir in cherries.    Spoon into pastry lined pie plate.     Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over cherries.   Cover with top pastry that has slits in it (or make a lattice crust); seal and flute.    Cover edge with 2 to 3 inch strip of foil to prevent excess browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

NOTE:   I like to do as my mother did and sprinkle some sugar on top of the crust before I put it in the oven!