Pear Pie
2 pre made chilled pie shells. One blind baked at 350 for 10 minutes. Keep the other one chilling in the fridge.
4 cups of peeled, coarsely chopped barely ripe pears
1/8 tsp each of powdered cinnamon, ginger, and cardamon
1 generous TBSP of lemon balm infused honey*
1 TBSSP of agar agar flakes
1/2 cup of granola
1/2 cup of grated Vegan Moz or other soft, white, bland cheese
1/2 cup of grated almond paste
*making an infused honey– Fill a washed and dried jar halfway with any of the following fresh flower petals-elder, lavender, rose, clary sage, hyssop, chamomile, basil, or violet. Fill the rest with high quality organic honey and screw on the top. Let sit for 4 weeks and then strain and bottle. Store in a cool dry place.
While the pie shell is blind baking- add your pears, spices, agar agar and infused honey to a large bowl and mix gently with your hands. Remove and cool your baked pie shell for 5 minutes. To the baked shell base-add the pears and sprinkle them with the granola. Mix the grated “cheese” and almond paste, sprinkle it on top. Prepare the chilled crust that you intend for your top ( cut fancy vent holes or strips for a lattice top). Gently remove it from its storage container and place onto the top of the pie. Use a fork or crimping tool to adhere it to the baked shell. It is best to avoid re rolling the crust. Bake for 45 minutes and check to see if it is done. The crust should be golden and the filling bubbling. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top. Refrigerate unused portions.
Lemon balm is a perennial found in the Mint family. Its many tall, auxiliary, four sided stems have very small two lipped flowers at their tips. A favorite of bumblebees these can be white, lavender or pink. The leaves are brilliant green, heart shaped/oval with a point. These are oppositely arranged with slightly serrated margins. Most members of the Mint family possess highly aromatic essential oils which repel pests. Mellissa has a unique smell of artificial lemon. This herb can grow as high as two feet tall. Easy to grow- it prefers moist, rich, well drained soil in shade or partial sun. Lemon balm grows well in pots and in most climates but can self seed and become an invasive plant. Remove volunteers/babies as they appear to prevent this.
Melissa is versatile and has a long history of use. It is cooling, calming, and cleansing. Its antispasmodic action makes it useful for treating menstrual cramps, general pain, headaches and infant colic. As a digestive it reduces indigestion and gas. High levels of the volatile oil cintronellal are helpful for depression, insomnia, restlessness, nightmares, teething, and anxiety. Lemon balm is a favorite tea with children due to its mild taste. Powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties make it popular to treat childhood illnesses, the flu, colds, and viruses in the herpes family. As an antihistamine it is useful for allergies and eczema.
Lemon balm can be applied externally on sunburn, wounds, burns, insect bites, and boils.
Medicinal Parts:leave and immature tops. Due to loss of volatile oils it is better to use it fresh or frozen rather than dried.
Energetics:sour, cool, dry
Element:water
Contraindications:Hypothyroidism. If you have a bee venom allergy do not use the essential oil in homemade bug repellant as bees love the smell.
Lemon balm appears in recipes to wrap fish. It can be a substitute for basil or parsley in pesto, salsa and tabouleh. Replace it for green in salad, soups, and sauces. Try it in a jelly, curd, or butter. Slip it into muffins and other baked goods.
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