Ahh… Crème de la crème! Something superlative… and can there be anything better than the fruits, vegetables, meats, fish and dairy that we experience in Mexico? These are the awesome foods that make up the culinary delights that we prepare daily for the ones we love. And what delights they are! While it’s not an ingredient that many associate with Mexico, the strawberries here are fantastic. To enjoy them best, I find this strawberry pie recipe really hits the spot.
Naturally, being American, I miss the desserts I’m used to, but I’ve learned to adapt the recipes and make them better because of the surprising quality of food in Mexico. Always fresh (San Miguel, where I live part time, is surrounded by farms that produce amazing fruits and vegetables). The same can be said for Playa del Carmen, where I spend the other part of the year when not in San Miguel.
My husband, Mark, and I are “early eaters” and it’s amazing to sit at a restaurant in PDC around 5 p.m. and watch the local farmers bring their crates of fresh-grown produce into an eatery. Amazing, considering that in the U.S., the average distance produce travels between the farm and your plate is about 1500 miles (whether organic or conventional). Freshness, when it comes to produce, is everything! And here, freshness seems to be around every Mexican corner.
Strawberry fields forever
Now let’s talk about strawberries (or, as they’re known in Mexico, fresas)! Iraputo, located in Guanajuato, is Mexico’s strawberry capital and is the second most populated city in the state, following León. In 1852, Don Nicolás Tejada brought 24 strawberry plants to Irapuato from France, which marked the beginning of a very lucrative industry that peaked in the 1960s. Although other cities now surpass Iraputo in strawberry production, the importance of the fresa will never be a passing memory in the hearts of the Irapuatenses, who celebrate “The Festival de la Fresa” yearly. You can even complete “The Route of the Strawberry” and pick baskets of the luscious little gems to take home.
The town of Iraputo is lovely and distinctive and is a “must visit” if you live nearby. It’s full of history from the earliest Chichimecas (nomadic peoples), who resided there until about 1200 AD when the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. The place is fascinating and boasts one of the oldest churches in Mexico, the Templo del Hospitalito, first constructed in about 1570 and completed in the early 1800s, its original name was Temple of the Hospital of Our Lady of Mercy of the Tarascan Indians.
So what do we make with these lovely, luscious fresh fresas? My first instinct is a fresa pie (without gelatin), which is a perfect summer delight. Top it with some Tequila whipped cream and give it a go!
Fresh strawberry pie topped with tequila whipped cream recipe
Ingredients
1 single 9-inch pie crust
5 cups (1000g) fresh strawberries (fresas), hulled and halved.
NOTE: Always clean berries (any type) to remove most pesticides in a solution of 1 tsp. baking soda per 2 cups cold water. Let sit for 12-15 minutes. Swish gently mid-way through. Rinse in cold water. Dry completely before using or storing.
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar (azúcar estándar)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract (extracto de vanilla)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice (jugo de limón) *Please use fresh.
½ teaspoon (2.5ml) lemon zest (limón rallado)
¼ cup (60ml) cornstarch (maicena)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F (204C).
Prepare the pie dough. Roll out the pie dough and place into a 9-inch pie dish. Gently press down and trim any excess dough from the sides. Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges.
Blind bake the crust for 20 minutes until the edges turn golden brown. (To help the crust stay in place while baking, you can fill with pie weights [or with dried beans, dried rice, granulated sugar, or popcorn kernels] for the first 10 minutes, and then remove). Once baked, transfer onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the strawberry glaze. While the crust is baking, prepare the strawberry glaze by adding 2 cups strawberries to a medium saucepan. Use a fork to mash the strawberries. Then add sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch. Stir well until well combined and bring to a simmer over medium heat until thickened to a desired consistency, about 5 minutes. (Do not use high heat to cook the glaze and stir constantly to make sure the mixture is cooked evenly.) Set aside and let cool for 15 minutes.
Assemble the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the remaining 3 cups of strawberries with the cooled strawberry glaze and toss well to coat evenly.
Assemble the pie. Carefully transfer the strawberry mixture into the pie crust and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or longer) until the filling is set completely.
Slice and serve with a dollop of Tequila Whipped Cream (we are in Mexico, after all!).
Tequila Whipped Cream
Ingredients
1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream (crema para batir)
¼ cup (60ml) powdered sugar (azúcar glasé)
1 ½ (22ml) TBS Tequila *don’t use more!
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a bowl and whip with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Make sure to love every bite!
If you enjoyed my strawberry pie recipe, why not let me know in the comments?
Disfruta!
Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of many mainstream, bridal-reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits, to make life so much more pleasurable, less stressful and unharried.
