This pie was born out of a time of loss and gratitude. Our neighbor’s father, “Pops,” passed away the day after Thanksgiving. I dedicate this post to him and to his wonderful family, Wally and Phyllis. They were the best neighbors—kind, generous, and the ones who shared the apples and pears that became this pie we baked and shared together.

“Pops,” born in 1917, was a World War II veteran who lived to 97. Imagine the sheer span of history he witnessed—an era of monumental change. He grew up when cars were just becoming the main form of transportation and horse-and-buggy carriages still remained in rural places. Skyscrapers, jet travel, and the constant hum of modern life were still in the future.

Those early decades had a quieter pace: no constant noise of jets overhead, no smartphones, and even telephone service was limited. Party lines connected several neighbors to the same phone. Many rural homes didn’t get a private telephone line until the 1950s or later.

By midlife he likely saw his first color television—maybe the one installed at the bar and grill he owned for his patrons. He experienced daily life before modern conveniences became commonplace.

 

 

Food preservation in his youth required daily attention. Before refrigerators were widespread, people used iceboxes and blocks of ice; by 1920 there were only a couple hundred refrigerators in the U.S. Prices and daily life looked very different—postage was a few cents and many households baked their own bread. Sliced bread didn’t appear until he was about eleven.

Across his life he witnessed sixteen presidents, the glamour of the Roaring Twenties, the hardship of the Great Depression, the invention of penicillin, and the moon landing. He saw the evolution from silent films with piano accompaniment to opulent movie palaces, and later drive-ins filled with families and teenagers enjoying the latest stars and blockbusters.

He watched innovations arrive one after another—penicillin, the iron lung, the Hoover Dam, Mt. Rushmore, bubble gum, Yo-Yos, and later microwaves, cable TV, personal computers, and cell phones. With all that change, I sometimes long for some of the simpler, more innocent moments of earlier times.

 

 

This simple pie makes me grateful for the conveniences we now enjoy: a grocery store open when we need it, ovens that heat evenly, and a safe place to store food. We take so much for granted every day. When life feels heavy, pause for a moment and notice the ordinary comforts around you. They matter.

We served this pie slightly warmed with vanilla bean ice cream—a modest pleasure and a grateful slice of life.

Wishing you a peaceful day. Don’t take the people you love for granted—say “I love you” often. —Kelly

 

Yield: 1 – 9″ pie

Spiced Apples ‘n Pears Crumb Top Pie

Ingredients

• 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 large ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 Tbl. lemon juice (concentrate OK in a pinch)
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbl. butter

For Crumb Topping:

• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into very small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. sugar to sprinkle on top
• Enough pie pastry for a 9″ deep-dish pie

Instructions

1. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples and pears. Place them in a large bowl, drizzle with lemon juice, and toss occasionally to prevent browning. Set aside.
2. Pour 2 cups water into a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt, then add the mixture to the water. Stir well and bring to a boil, boiling for 2 minutes while stirring constantly.
3. Add the apples and pears to the saucepan and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the fruit is tender, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter, and gently fold until the butter melts and the filling is combined. Let cool at least 30 minutes (transfer to a cool pan to speed cooling if desired).
4. While the filling cools, make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine the small pieces of cold butter with vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar, and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture forms crumbs—you can do this with a pastry cutter or your fingers.
5. Line a 9″ deep-dish pie plate with pastry and flute the edges. Spoon the cooled filling into the pie shell. There may be extra sauce—do not overfill. Reserve any extra sauce to warm and serve over ice cream.
6. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the pie. For larger pieces of topping, compress a small handful in your hand and break it up over the pie, then sprinkle with 1/2–1 tsp. sugar.
7. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the pie in the oven, close the door, then reduce the temperature to 375°F. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the filling bubbles and the crust and topping are golden brown. Cool on the counter. Store covered at room temperature or refrigerate.