Makes one large 9 inch pie
“Liza was rolling out pie crust on the floury board. She was so expert with the rolling pin that the dough seemed alive. It flattened out and then pulled back a little from the tension in itself. Liza lifted the pale sheet of it and laid it over one of the pie tins and trimmed the edges with a knife. The prepared berries lay deep in red juice in a bowl.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
Olallieberries are a cross of logan and young berries, that were developed in Oregon. They grow well in the warm outlying areas of the central coast of California. Olallieberries have a cult following. Yes, I am sure I am not exaggerating. Summer olallie mania heightens in proportion to the short growing season of June plus another week or so. Every summer, my mother would drive to Gizdich Ranch, just outside Watsonville, to purchase olallies. That day she would make olallieberry pie, the next day she would make jam. Some years, her olallie exuberance would dictate more trips for her favorite summer fruit. My mother loved jam and wanted enough to last the year; but she always ran out. She had olallie jam not only on her English muffins but on waffles, pancakes, French toast and vanilla ice cream. This is how we learned that both jam and syrup were wonderful with our pancakes, waffles and French toast. With the end of the olallieberry season fast approaching I had to have some. I wanted to make pie.