red.neck chic: Cherries Anyone?

Monday, February 15

Cherries Anyone?

He won the Revolutionary War, served as president of the Constitutional Convention, and was the first president of the United States. He is quite possibly the most famous of all the Founding Fathers.

But - did you know...

Once during battle, a cannonball almost hit him and his men. Everyone hid, except George, who kept on fighting. I admit... I'd be skeert of a flyin' cannonball.

George’s first set of dentures were made from cow’s teeth. Later, he had a second pair made of hippopotamus ivory. Mine have duct tape... cool, huh? LOL

Contrary to popular belief, George Washington never wore a wig. I'm taking mine off now.

According to Newsweek, 14 percent of all pre-school children think George Washington is still sitting in the oval office.WOW.

And the Cherry Tree Story? When George was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way. One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his mother's pea sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died. Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room. "George,'' said his father, "do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five guineas for it!'' This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried:
"I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet.''
The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said:

"My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! Yes - though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!''

That story made me hungry!!!

Ingredients:

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust

pie

4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

4 cups pitted cherries

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place bottom crust in piepan. Set top crust aside, covered.
2.	In a large mixing bowl combine tapioca, salt, sugar, cherries and extracts. Let stand 15 minutes. Turn out into bottom crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust, flute edges and cut vents in top. Place pie on a foil lined cookie sheet --- in case of drips!
3.	Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown.