Strawberry pie

I was reading that Glascock’s had their first ever April strawberries at the farmer’s market. There’s nothing sweeter than a freshly picked strawberry that is still warm from the sun, bright red, and bursting with flavor. They make the best desserts and jams and are just as perfect eaten straight from the basket. Growing strawberries is also a fun and easy project to try with kids, and it’s almost always a success.

My great-grandmother, Arizona Henry, loved this time of year. Raised during the Great Depression, she learned early how to make something delicious out of any fruit. Nothing went to waste in her kitchen. She grew what she could, preserved what she had, and stretched every ingredient with care and creativity. When strawberries came into season, they were a treat to enjoy.

She would have us pick berries by the basketful, our fingers-stained red and our patience tested as we tried not to eat more than we saved. Back in her kitchen, she worked with quiet confidence, no written recipe, just memory and instinct.

In the evenings, after the day’s work was done, she would sit down with a slice of strawberry pie and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. She didn’t need much, just a simple dessert and a moment to rest before bed. To her, it wasn’t just pie. It was a sign of the season, of making it through another winter, of having enough food on her table.

That tradition carried on in our home. Strawberry pie means spring has arrived. It means longer days, open windows, outdoor walks, and something sweet waiting after dinner. Even now, it feels like more than a dessert, it’s a memory of resilience, of family, and of finding joy in simple things. Strawberries means a healthy snack filled with vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium. Eat a fresh strawberry to increase your fiber and satisfy your sweet tooth.

 

Strawberry Pie 

Ingredients

6–7 cups strawberry halves

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons of minute tapioca

3 tablespoons of butter

2 pie shells

 

Directions: Combine strawberries, sugar, and tapioca in a bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a pie crust in a pie pan. Dot the top with small pieces of butter, then cover with the second pie crust and seal the edges. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 3 hours before serving with a small scoop of ice cream.

Stacy Schultz is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, a former Morgan County Commissioner and is the author of “It’s Stacy’s Grandma ‘Zona’s recipes.” She has been in healthcare for 35 years at War Memorial Hospital.