THE ACCIDENTAL CHEF: Summer’s over, but strawberry pie is a keeper

I saw quarts of strawberries on sale for $2.50 the other day, which isn't too bad, considering summer is over.

Home cooks are probably already thinking about squash and looking forward to fall apples. Yet, while many of us tend to think of strawberries as an early-summer treat, fresh strawberries are available year-round.

Unfortunately, in the off-season, fresh strawberries are most likely shipped in from elsewhere, not grown locally. However, that doesn't mean you have to go without. While there's nothing better than chomping down on a freshly washed strawberry you've picked yourself, you can still turn out delicious dishes using strawberries, fresh or frozen, from the grocery store.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy these ruby-colored delights is in a gooey strawberry pie topped with fresh whipped cream. Slightly chilled and held together with just a little gelatin, a slice of cool strawberry pie is a delightful way to end a meal (or start your day - it's great for a sugar-laden breakfast, too). While there are several variations of strawberry pies - using fresh strawberries atop vanilla custard; using a graham-cracker crust; or making double-crust lattice pies, which include more heavily cooked berries inside - I'm partial to the classic gelatin-chilled pie in a pre-baked pie crust.

This strawberry pie is not only gorgeous with its gelatinized sheen and bevy of strawberries but also incredibly easy to make. For starters, it's a virtual no-cook recipe, with the exception of heating the gelatin, sugar and strawberries for a short time. Also, because it uses a pre-baked crust, it can be whipped up in a snap.

For entertaining, homemade strawberry pie is the way to go. Because the pie needs time to set in the fridge (and is served slightly chilled), you can make it a day ahead. Also, it's up to you how you serve your pie, whether it's with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or straight up. A quick timesaver is to place each slice of pie on a serving plate (up to a day ahead). When it comes time for dessert, simply unwrap your slices and top them with whipped cream.

For the best-tasting pie, select the ripest and sweetest strawberries, and make sure they don't have light-colored or green spots. Strawberry pie is supposed to be Ober-sweet, so only the ripest and sweetest berries will do. Adding a dash of lemon or lime juice to your strawberry mixture can give it a little more zing.

For a fancier presentation, make your own whipped cream. With a pie this sweet, I recommend adding no more than a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar to a cup of heavy cream when whipping it by hand (or, better yet, in the mixer). Spiking your whipped cream with a little vanilla or flavored liqueur will give it even more zip.

Don't worry if your pie slices don't turn out geometrically perfect. This pie can be messy, and sometimes it doesn't want to hold together. If this happens to yours, simply top your slices with more whipped cream. Your guests won't complain!
Kendra Bailey Morris is a Richmond-based food writer, culinary instructor and author of "White Trash Gatherings: From-Scratch Cooking for Down-Home Entertaining" (Ten Speed Press). Send ideas, tips or culinary questions to or visit http://www.theaccidentalchef.net.