It’s February… National Cherry Month!  How do I know? This story goes back a number of years to my college days….and will make you a believer in synchronicity!

Back in 1971, I was crowned the National Cherry Queen of Traverse City, MI.  It was quite an honor.  My sophomore year at Central Michigan University I had won the first Miss CMU pageant.  My sorority, Alpha Chi Omega sponsored me, mainly because I had been first runner up in the Miss Mt. Clemens pageant and was probably the only sister with pageant experience.  As a condition of winning that title I was obligated to participate as CMU’s candidate in the annual National Cherry Queen pageant in Traverse City…which I was happy to win as it provided a very sizeable scholarship!  So my junior year was a whirlwind of PR guest appearances on radio, TV, in newspapers and numerous hometown parades.  Most memorable was the whole month of February spent on a nationwide tour of cherry farms, factories and bakeries.  Beginning in Hawaii with the Cherry Blossom Festival!!!

Here is a very curious anecdote…do you believe in synchronicity? While attending CMU  (1968-72), a roommate and sorority sister by the name of Trudy Yarnell (the only other Trudy I have known) followed a year behind me.  We could have been twins…and did become sorority sisters with the very unusual name of Trudy!  She was a ball of energy and so much fun!  Not only did she become Miss CMU the year after me, but she also won the National Cherry Queen title the year after me…and where I became 2nd runner up in the Miss Michigan pageant, Trudy Yarnell was 1st runner up the following year….now is that synchronicity or what?

Believe me when I say that I’m familiar with all things cherry!  I’ve been craving a cherry pie…and since I already had logs of pecan shortbread in the freezer, I decided to make a cherry pie using pecan shortbread as both my crust and streusel topping.  This recipe calls for frozen, pitted cherries.  Since I didn’t have tart cherries, I used a little aged balsamic vinegar to provide some tartness.

The filling is easy to put together, so the whole pie is quick and easy…as long as you have shortbread cookie dough frozen in your freezer.  Otherwise, use your favorite pate brisee recipe or store-bought pie crust.

Trudy’s Unusual Cherry Pie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 batch of pecan shortbread cookie dough recipe, or pie dough for 9 inch pie
• 4 cups frozen pitted cherries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons tapioca
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pat enough of the pecan shortbread cookie dough to make a crust into the bottom of a 9 inch pie dish.  Break up the remaining cookie dough to use as a streusel topping and set aside.

Mix the cherries with sugar, tapioca, salt, balsamic vinegar and vanilla.  Let sit 1/2 hour, then stir to combine all ingredients evenly.   Pour into the pie crust.

Sprinkle the reserved streusel topping over the top of the cherries.

Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbling.