I'm all for seasonality, but despite diligent searching, I didn't come across a single tart cherry this Summer. When I investigated, I found out that my go-to specialty market only had them in stock for a mere three days due to a combination of a cold snap last Fall and California's epic drought conditions this Summer. Under these circumstances, some might sub sweet cherries, but sweet cherries just don't cut it in a tart cherry pie. So what's a girl to do? Instead of abandoning my dreams of cherry pie bliss, I turned to the next best thing: jarred Morello cherries. (Trader Joe's to the rescue!)
While some might be skeptical of jarred cherries, you need not be: these cherries brought the full, vibrant flavor I sought out. When I shared my pie with an office full of colleagues (at breakfast-time no less), I received a near-record amount of compliments. With its flaky, butter-rich crust and juicy filling that's neither too jelled nor too runny, it was one of the best pies I've ever made.