It's time to get our party on! ♥
I've got big things to celebrate today: my twelve-year anniversary with my boyfriend, and the last day of my first ever semester of teaching at the college level. Both of these things are wild milestones, and I can't believe it's all lining up on one day (and a Friday no less! Glorious!)
Later on this year, I'll talk a bit more about the things I'm grateful for looking back at 2023—definitely one of the many things I need to go over—but today? Today we celebrate not only with date nights and last goodbyes to students, but also with a slice (or two) of a pie that is steeped in good vibes. More specifically bacchic, jubilant vibes. This week's harvest fruit pie combines three sweet fruits—grapes, apples, and pears—and mixes them with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and lemon for a delicious kick. If you've looked at the magic of any recipes of mine before, you know that this has many possible applications, but we're looking at those first four ingredients to focus specifically on joy, love, and mischievous fun. ♥
Let's take a look!
Magic in Harvest Fruit Pie
While we've talked about grapes before in the context of wine and as a part of another drink (the grape plum compote), it's nice to know that you can actually do something baked-good-related with them, too. Something that doesn't cause them to be in the form of raisins. (Nothing against raisins, but not everyone likes those pieces of fruit-jerky.) But as you know, grapes and the grapevine have long been connected with deities like Dionysus (Bacchus) and have therefore been associated with good times, fertility, celebration, and fun.
According to Scott Cunningham in his Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, though, it's pear trees that have allegedly had witches dancing underneath them, which I find incredibly fascinating. They're great for love and fertility, just as the apples in this pie are, and they can help spike all kinds of romantic feelings—or, if you opt to invoke the lemon with it, some great camaraderie with friends. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, and you've got some nice protective, psychic power to add onto all that merry madness.
If you want to get away from ration, reason, and the worries of the world, then this blend of energy will help you. Water is the strong focus, an element of emotion, relationships, and the inner self, with Venus and the Moon dominating the planetary spread. However, that last little bit of fire and the Sun thanks to the cinnamon means you’ll be able to point your thoughts and energy in the right direction: on optimism, success, luck, and burning bright energy.
Cranberry Persimmon Sangria
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
2 9in pie crusts (homemade or store bought)
1lb of grapes
3 apples
3 pears
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
Directions:
In a big pot, heat washed, de-stemmed grapes and sugar on medium heat until the grapes break down (about 20min).
Peel, core, & thinly slice your other fruits
When the grapes are broken down, strain out the solids (& press the pulp for all the juice you can).
Add fruits and grape syrup to the pot, cooking until fruits are soft.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add lemon juice/cornstarch slurry and cook until thick
Pour filling into prepared pie dish, then cover with second pie crust
Bake until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes
Let rest for 3 hours before serving.
The cool purple color this pie gets makes it look as good as it tastes. This is a great spin on otherwise classic apple or fruit pies, and it can do so many different things depending on the occasion you cook it for. Try it out! ♥
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
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