Celebrate the unofficial start of summer with vintage Cherry Top-Notch Pie

Today is the lead into a long weekend here in Canada, as we gear up to celebrate Victoria Day on Monday, which many in this country see as the unofficial start of summer.

Goodness knows I'm ready for such and am so excited to welcome the warmest chapter of the year back into my life again. It's a great time, not only for its own wealth of merits, but because of all of the fun, exciting events and every day pleasures alike that it houses.

From mine and Tony's birthdays to Canada Day, picnics to star gazing session atop the lofty hills that flank our town, summer will keep me on my toes and in high spirits from start to finish.

With summer champing at the bit, my mind has already turned the lush abundance of fresh produce and other seasonal fare that will call the season home. I've talked before here about how integral cherries are to the local economy, as well as the reputation, of the Okanagan Valley where we live, in addition to the plethora of memories this instantly evoke for me.

Cherries, much like peaches, are summer in fruit form around these parts and nary a roadside stand, grocery store, or farmer's market is devoid of them between (roughly) late June and the end of August (with July often being peak cherry season).

I love the fact that cherries, one of the reddest hued fruits of all, are usually out when Canada Day rolls around on July 1st. Given that our national colours are red and white, foods of the crimson variety are always a welcome treat on any festive table - just as they are for this coming holiday weekend.

It's scarcely a secret, too, that cherries are evocative of the mid-twentieth century and their use - both in decor and fashion - is legendary from the time period.

Naturally, being such a beloved fruit, they often appeared in dishes of the day, too from trendy concoctions to timeless classics. In the later camp, one finds that perpetual warm weather favourite,  cherry pie, and the 1950s recipe below looks like a real winner when it come to this marvelous dessert.






{Beautiful look and sink your teeth into alike, cherry pie is a warm weather standby that is both delicious and nostalgic at the same time. It's vibrant interior colour also makes it a fabulous choice for Canada Day and the 4th of July alike. Vintage recipe ad image source.}


Whether you opt for fresh, frozen, or canned fruit when baking, cherry pie is hard to beat and if you've never tried making one from scratch, I can't recommend doing highly enough.

For a fun twist on things, try making a chocolate or cinnamon crust instead of the standard plain variety. With a generous dollop of whipped cream, a chocolate crust filled with juicy, sweet-tart cherries and their silky juices instantly becomes redolent of another long standing favourite the world over: Black Forest Cake.

You can also add in some other spring/summertime fruit, if you have any to hand, such as - but certainly not limited to - blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, and even (trust me on this one, it's surprisingly good!) grapes.

As I always like to say with vintage dishes that call for it, if shortening isn't your cup of yesteryear tea, by all means ditch it and use butter, margarine, or your favourite vegan cooking fat substitute instead.

A good cherry pie is a thing of culinary beauty and needs little, if anything, to enhance it. However, during the dog days that lay ahead, it never hurts to dish thick slices of this timeless dessert up with some vanilla, chocolate, berry, caramel, peach, lemon, orange, or even mocha ice cream for a treat that will never go out of style or fail to win rave reviews - much like summertime itself!

Five For Friday {August 14, 2009}

...Halfway through August already, a little over one more month to go before (if only on the calendar) autumn swings into gear. I’m eager for its arrival, but have also found myself enjoying summer’s alluring, almost intoxicating temperatures more this year. As another weekend approaches, it’s time for things that make you smile as though you’ve just recalled a wonderful memory, a massive dose of cuteness, and a scrumptious treat that’s worth heating up the kitchen for...

♥ ♥ ♥


{To ensure even the dollies in your house are accessorized with vintage elegance}


{Isn’t this vintage set of child and doll sized watches (and the gingham print packaging they come in) wonderful? Even if you don’t collect dolls, this set would look amazingly sweet as a display piece. Vintage “Dolly and I” matching wristwatch set, $12.00 (US) from etsy seller REdesignkc.}


{To capture one of summer’s finest tastes in a flakey pie crust}


{Whether made with fresh, frozen or canned fruit, there is little denying the incredibly delicious taste of a freshly baked cherry pie, especially if you opt to serve it a la mode! Photo from, and recipe for Easy Cherry Pie on, Country Living.}


{To melt your heart...the stifling summer heat having likely long since melted the rest of your body ;D}


{Ask anyone who’s known me for a while and they’re likely to tell you I have an unfathomably humongous love of animals, especially those which are in some way a little out of the ordinary. When you add in megawatts of cuteness, the critter equation almost becomes too much for one’s mind to grasp! :D Such is the case of this incredibly adorable miniature pony named Koda, who aside from being small naturally, was also born with equine dwarfism (he’s scarcely taller than a house cat). Take one look at this bundle of sweetness and tell me you wouldn’t want one just like him to call your own? (Image via the Daily Mail.)}


{To wear on hot nights spent lounging up with a good TCM marathon or your favourite vintage movie}



{While the cut is on the modern side, the image on this charming t-shirt certainly transmits an alluring old school Hollywood vibe. I Love Film Noir t-shirt, available in sizes small to 3XL and both standard and “ladies fit”, $9.95 (US) from Neatorama.}


{To pass the time between rounds of ice tea, dips in the lake, and counting down the days until it snows again}


{Like something you could easily imagine a group of F. Scott Fitzgerald characters leisurely using on days when it was just too unbearably warm to run around on the tennis court. Set of four red and cream hued vintage badminton racquets, $38.00 (US) from etsy seller Corrnucopia. (And be sure to check out this listing from Flamingo Vintage, if you’d like some vintage shuttlecocks to accompany your racquets.)}


This very post is a milestone in its own right; it’s the 100th piece to make its way onto the pages of Chronically Vintage. Started nearly four months ago, this blog has become a truly joyful and fascinating element of my life. I want to thank each and every one of my deeply incredible – and very dear – readers, without you this blog simply would not be the same. I adore you all very much and hope that you’ll love what the future holds in store for Chronically Vintage from post 101 onwards!

Wishing you each a shimmering, beautiful weekend!