The local weather widget  on my Mac’s dashboard says it’s 90 degrees outside right now, but I don’t believe it.  Although it does seem to be quite a bit warmer than what the weather guy reported this morning, it’s still not that hot.  I’ll believe 80.  Maybe.  I can feel a nice breeze — refreshingly cool, but the sun is scorching!  No complaints, however.  None at all.  Actually I’m sort of amazed that when summer officially began a couple of days ago with the ending of school, the ever-present June Gloom we’re accustomed to has disappeared.

That means tonight will be perfect for an outside dinner, after I scrape the hard water deposits off the glass on the patio table.  So much for Martha living here, right?  I’ll light some little votive candles, throw a couple of logs in the chiminea, and hope the clouds don’t return so we can enjoy what promises to be a very warm evening.

This first truly summery night deserves an after dinner treat that I’ve had my eye on since the June issue of Gourmet surfaced in my mail stack.  I couldn’t exactly get past the full page glossy photo and the homey looking aspect of the strawberry pie.  Was that jello?  Oh. My.  It’s definitely what my idea of summer in a pie would be.  Very berry!

And what a perfect way to celebrate the Strawberry Moon Festival, hosted by Cooking in Cleveland, a site that features “homecooking with seasonal, locally grown produce.”

Is it cheating that I added blueberries?  I can’t resist the way they look with strawberries.  Okay, and their crunch is quite lovely, too.

I’ll let you know how the dinner goes.

Continue reading Summer in a Pie: Very Berry!