Recently, I spent two days at George Washington University, in Washington, DC, and I cannot tell a lie, while there, I just had to have a cherry pie. Being on the campus reminded me of our first president, who, as a 6 year-old is said to have told his father, “I cannot tell a lie, I cut down the cherry tree.” Likely a myth, but a fine lesson in honesty, so, I started my search for a bakery that served a cherry pie! In spring, the cherry trees in Washington, DC, provide a great frame for a monument to the success of a grown-up George.
All signs for the best cherry pie in Washington, DC pointed to Pie Sisters, which was appropriate as on this day I was with my sister. The shop, with its onsite ovens, display cases, and tables is wedged into the side of a steep hill in Georgetown, and exudes charm. We met Madeline, the chef, who told us about the pie and the pie sisters. We started with a chicken pot pie, complete with a dough rooster cutout, and finished with a piece of the cherry pie. 
We restrained ourselves at the display case and settled for just a photo of the “cuppies”—-mini-pies baked in cupcake liners, and the whole cherry pie decorated with cutout cherries.
When I returned home I was inspired to my own cherry pie making. Because the 4th of July was approaching, I thought it appropriate to celebrate George Washington and his integrity with a red, white, and blue cherry pie. My eight year- old friend Ginny, who is a future pie chef, found a recipe for a “patriotic pie” on Facebook, and baked that pie for the occasion. We then had the makings for a neighborhood Pre-Fourth of July Popup Patriotic Pie Party. Our friends and neighbors were an appreciative audience for our pies.
People to meet:
• Madeline, the chef at Pie Sisters. She is the one, who along with the sisters, works th
e magic into the pies.
• Ginny, who is learning to make tasty pies (and her mother, who is helping her keep the art of pie-making alive).
Places to visit:
• Pie Sisters restaurant in Washington DC 3423 M St. NW, Washington, DC
www.piesisters.com
• Washington Monument, which is particularly scenic when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
Pies to try:
• Red, White and Blue Cherry Pie. For this pie I used 3 different types of cherries: Red sweet cherries (red), Rainer (white) and Bing (blue). The 3 varieties add color and texture to the pie, and offer an interesting mix of sweet and tart to any basic cherry pie recipe. The adults enjoyed a light white wine with this and the Patriotic Pie, but I still prefer a robust Pinot Noir with my fruit pies, and that paired nicely, too.
• Old Glory Patriotic Pie. This pie shows its colors with blueberries and strawberries, and features the stars and stripes! 
Ginny told me that “the most challenging part was fitting the bottom crust into the pie plate just right” and the “best part was eating the pie.”
- Crust: Crust for a double crust pie (artofthepie.com{
- Filling:
- 6 cups of cherries, (use 3 different colors of cherries such as red sweet, Queen Anne, and Bing, as desired)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp organic granulated quick cooking tapioca
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Line pie pan with bottom crust and refrigerate. Keep top crust or lattice pieces refrigerated until ready to use.
- Combine cherries, lemon juice, sugars, tapioca, salt, egg, and bitters in large bowl and toss to combine. Pour in refrigerated pie shell. Chill in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to set the pastry.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place top crust or lattice on the pie and brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until pastry is set; lower temperature to 375 degrees and finish baking until juices are bubbling, about 30 more minutes.
- Cool for 2-3 hours.
- – Pie dough, enough for 2 crusts
- – 4½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- – 1½ cups fresh blueberries
- – ½ cup granulated sugar
- – ⅓ cup corn starch
- – ½ teaspoon almond extract, divided
- – 1 large egg, beaten
- – Sanding sugar
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
- On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the dough for one of the pie crusts into a 12-inch, ⅛-inch-thick circle. Fold into quarters and place into an ungreased 9-inch pie dish. Unfold and press against the bottom and sides of the dish. Trim excess dough to ½ inch from the edge of plate. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and the corn starch until well-mixed.
- Take ¼ cup of the sugar mixture and ¼ teaspoon of almond extract, and add to a small bowl with the blueberries. Toss to coat.
- Add the remaining sugar mixture and ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to a medium bowl with the strawberries. Toss to coat.
- Fold a piece of aluminum foil in half several times to create a 2-inch-wide strip. Fold the ends in so that the strip fits inside the pie dish, and place into the dish, dividing the crust into ⅓ and ⅔ sections. Press gently into the dough.
- With your hand on one side of the foil, gently pour the blueberries into the ⅓ section. Pour the strawberries into the remaining ⅔ section. Gently level out the fruit and carefully remove the foil.
- On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the remaining pie crust into an 11-inch circle.
- Cut 5 ¾-inch wavy strips of dough to make the stripes of the flag. Place the strips over the strawberry portion of the pie, leaving space in between each and trimming as needed. Fold the bottom crust over the edge of the strips and crimp the edges with a fork.
- Using a 2-inch star cookie cutter, cut 7 to 8 stars from the remaining dough. Arrange the stars over the blueberry portion of the pie.
- Brush the pie with the beaten egg wash and sprinkle generously with sugar. Cover the edge of the crust with a crust shield or a 2-inch strip of aluminum foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil/crust shield. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and continue to bake for 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Cool the pie for 1 hour before serving.
