My favorite pie is cranberry-walnut. I found the recipe in my Mother’s Milwaukee Junior League cookbook years ago, and have made it every Thanksgiving since then. As Dick and I were planning our trip to Wisconsin this fall, we discovered that there was a “cranberry trail.” We decided to celebrate the cranberry harvest by following this trail. We started at the Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens, Wisconsin.
At the Discovery Center we learned that Wisconsin is the top producer of cranberries in the US. After watching a video describing the cranberry cycle from planting to harvest, we were tantalized by the display of popular products made from cranberries such as juice, jellies, relish, candles, wine, ice cream, candy, and of course pies.
As we followed the trail, we parked on the side of the road to watch cranberry farmers harvesting a cranberry bog.
The bog was flooded with about 18 inches of water to loosen the berries which then floated to the top where they were being “corralled” with a wide hose pulled by a tractor.
As in the commercial for cranberry juice with the two guys standing in the bog of floating cranberries, these farmers were working in their hip-high waders. They waved at us and we gave them a thumbs up. The farmers used a tractor to pull a hose to gather the cranberries into one area where the farmers used a rake to push the berries into the “corral.” Once the cranberries were in a tight ring, a spray (not an ocean spray!) gave the cranberries a good rinse, and then they were sucked into a pump truck that had strips of cloth at the back end (think car wash) where the remaining debris was wiped from the berries before they were dumped into the truck that would carry them to the processing plant.
People: Cranberry growers. The men and women we saw were young and proud of their work. As one of the owners passed us in her truck, she stopped to invite us to visit the processing plant. Unfortunately we had to keep moseying down the trail.
Places: Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center in Warrens, Wisconsin. This museum tells the history of cranberry farming in Wisconsin, and displays information about current industry practices. http://www.discovercranberries.com/
Pies: Cranberry Walnut Pie. This has become my “go to pie.” I serve it at fall holiday events and gatherings. It is easy to make and receives rave reviews.
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and drained
- 1 cup whole walnut halves
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup flour
- For the frosted cranberries:
- 2 Tbsp water; 1 Tbsp pasteurized egg white; 1 12 oz. package of cranberries; 1 cup white sugar
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Mix cranberries, walnuts, and brown sugar and place in crust
- Combine egg, sugar, butter and flour; beat well and spread on top of cranberry/walnut mixture
- Bake 45-50 minutes
- For the frosted cranberries
- In a medium bowl, stir together the water and egg white until blended but not whipped. Coat cranberries with this mixture. Spread the sugar out on a baking sheet, and roll the cranberries in it until they are coated. Dry at room temperature for 2 hours.
What do you do with sugared cranberries? Put them on top? Add before baking?
We have been going to Bayfield County for over 45 years. In the 80’s we would stop at Darlene’s café, it is closed now, but they made this pie. We make it each year as part of our Thanksgiving feast. This last year we visited a cranberry bog near where we stayed in Cable, Wisconsin. It was great fun, and wonderful pie!