A close friend of mine, who happens to be a fabulous cook, is weathering a very difficult time in her life. So she cooks. Using some of her home-grown food, she cooks, not just for sustenance and distraction, but to heal herself. “When I walk into the kitchen, it’s like I hear the vegetables talking to me.” she says. “For a short, blissful time, I am free from all the stress, tension, and fear I’ve been feeling.” The food feeds her body, the cooking feeds her soul.

My friend’s tomato plants with some of her recent harvest.

An eggplant calls out for her to transform it into something delicious. Her tomatos beckon to be mixed into a chilled gazpacho. The rhubarb, hand selected from the local farmer’s market, cries out to be made into one of my friend’s famous rhubarb and cherry pies.

Rhubarb and Cherry Pie for the Soul

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2 lbs of rhubarb trimmed and dice into 1 – 2” pieces
½ cup pitted bing cherries or any berry
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs flour
2 tbs cold butter
1 pie crust (or store bought roll-out pie crust)
1 fluted tart pan with removable bottom

Lightly flour a counter top on which to lay the pie crust. If frozen, allow the crust to thaw about 20 minutes, then roll out to expand an additional 2 “ all around. Gently roll the crust onto a rolling pin to easily transfer to the tart pan. Press lightly into the pan removing any crust that extends over the pan edges.  Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, toss all of the ingredients minus the butter in a mixing bowl.  Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove pan from freezer and fill with fruit mixture. Dice the butter and scatter on top of the fruit.

Bake for 45-55 minutes until bubbly and crust is light brown.

Cool completely before removing the bottom from the pan. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt or room temp sour cream garnished with mint.

Bake one and call me in the morning.