Cranberry-Orange Pie with Cornmeal Streusel Topping

There’s been a literal deluge of pies around the blogosphere lately. Have you noticed? Everywhere I look I am tempted by the flaky crusts, fruity fillings and creamy toppings that are coming out of kitchens from coast to coast. It’s a wonderful thing.

One scroll through my friend Cheryl’s ‘Love the Pie‘ link up from last week will make your head spin; nearly one-hundred and seventy scrumptious pies are represented. That’s a lot of pie love.

Here at Simple Bites, we’ve contributed our fair share of seasonal pies this fall – and we haven’t stopped yet. In fact, I’ve been saving the best for last. Today’s Cranberry-Orange Pie with Cornmeal Brown Sugar Streusel is easily the best pie I’ve eaten all year.

For the love of fruit pies, in particular, cranberry

I should follow the bold statement above with the disclosure that fruit pies hold a special place in my heart and always have. I don’t gravitate toward the coconut creams or peanut butter extravaganzas, just give me a simple plum tart or something of the sort and I’m happiest.

Fruit pies have a beautiful way of following the seasons. Tangy strawberry-rhubarb leads the way in spring, sultry peach follows during the hot summer months, and autumn brings an array of pumpkin, sweet potato, apple and pear.

Cranberries have been the star ingredient in my fall pies ever since my dad bought me James McNair’s Pie Cookbook for Christmas of ’89 and I discovered how wonderful cranberries were paired with orange zest and brown sugar and tucked into pastry.

Fresh, whole, local cranberries are available at my grocery store and local markets from October through January, making them an ideal fruit to capitalize on when all other berries are expensive and imported. Marry your cranberries with pears and stew them into a compote, simmer them into a sauce for your Christmas dinner, but please, I insist: be sure to try them in this pie recipe.

 

What is your favorite flavor of fruit pie?