We're thrilled to share a mouth-watering recipe from a cookbook that was a Taste Canada award finalist: Gatherings, by Jan Scott and Julie Van Rosendaal. We love the idea behind of Gatherings:

"The old adage, 'It's not what's on the table, it's who's at the table,' means more to home cooks as the stuffy, fussy, pretentious dinner party of the past disappears, making way for a new entertaining ideal .... Gatherings puts the focus on real situations that bring people together, whether the occasion is a birthday or holiday, or just an excuse to reconnect and strengthen relationships."

Strawberries and rhubarb are both in season now, so this is a perfect recipe for right now.

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STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB PIE

Serves 8

Strawberry-rhubarb is the ultimate summer pie, though raspberries pair just as well if you have some in your garden and want to sub them in. If the idea of a lattice crust makes you nervous, top your pie with a full crust and cut a few slits in the top to let the steam escape.

Ingredients

Pastry for a double crust pie
3–4 cups (750 mL–1 L) chopped fresh rhubarb
3–4 cups (750 mL–1 L) strawberries
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp (45 mL) cornstarch
Milk or cream, for brushing (optional)
Sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Divide the pastry into two slightly uneven halves. On a lightly floured surface, roll the bigger piece of pastry out into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle. Drape the pastry over your rolling pin, transfer it to a pie plate and fit it inside, letting the edges hang over.

Put the rhubarb and strawberries in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, stir together the sugars and cornstarch; add to the fruit and toss gently to combine. Mound into the pie crust.

Roll the other piece of pastry out into a 10-inch (25 cm) circle and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) strips. Lie half of them in one direction across the pie, leaving about half an inch between them. Starting at one side, fold back all but the first, and weave the remaining strips in the opposite direction, laying them under and over alternating strips. Pinch the edges to seal, then trim and crimp them. If you like, brush the top of the pie with milk or cream, and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another hour, until the pastry is golden and the juices are bubbly. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover the pie loosely with foil. Cool before cutting.

Party Pointer: You can also bake this pie in a single crust topped with a crumble. To make the crumble, take ½ cup (125 mL) flour, ½ cup (125 mL) brown sugar and ¼ (60 mL) butter and rub together until crumbly. Spread over top the pie and bake as above.