Make way for strawberry rhubarb pie, apple pie! Sweet strawberries and acidic rhubarb mix for a wonderfully balanced, luscious fruit pie. Next, try my strawberry rhubarb bars.

Did you know that May is National Strawberry Month? I didn’t realize it until I saw a massive rush of strawberry-themed photos in my Instagram feed and did some Googling. The beautiful red of strawberries is usually pleasant, but I became concerned.

You know how you get that sensation when you observe a group of radio stations playing the same song, or a channel airing a series of movies starring the same actor? My first reaction is that it’s either their birthday or they’re deceased.

When I saw all the strawberry postings, my immediate reaction was, “Is this the anniversary of when strawberries were discovered?” OH MY GOD, ARE STRAWBERRIES DYING?

At the very least, the happier of the two ideas came to mind first. That’s development for an everlasting pessimist!

Thus, to summarize, strawberries are being cherished for the wonderful, juicy fruit that they are, and they are not going extinct (that I know of). I’m not one to turn down a nice party, especially when the guest of honor is a valued friend, so I invited rhubarb as my guest. Since the end of rhubarb season corresponds with the beginning of strawberry season, it’s the ideal time to prepare a strawberry rhubarb pie.

I know, the photos aren’t great.

I’m not going to lie, I don’t like the photographs I received from this. That was pretty bad weather at the time I created it, dark and dismal. I’d constructed it for my boyfriend’s birthday, which happened to fall during a terrible snowstorm, and the lighting outside was changing quite quickly.

It was hard to achieve constant decent lighting since it would shift from blaringly white to very dark in a single second. So, against my better judgment, I grabbed my desktop lighting unit and reflector and got to work.

I got the room as black as I could, but since this home had so many windows, there were still swings of exterior illumination that I couldn’t control. I considered setting up shop in one of our closets since it was the only location that could be fully dark, but the notion of shooting shots in the presence of possibly cat and dog-covered clothing and shoes didn’t seem like the greatest idea.

Even as a non-pie lover, strawberry rhubarb pie is a winner

Yet, putting everything aside, I still wanted to share this recipe with you since I adore it. I’m sure I’ve said it before, but I’m not a big lover of fruit pies in general. But what about this? What about this pie? I’m a huge fan.

I had to make it many times before I reached the desired sweetness level, and I don’t want to tamper with a good thing now that I’ve discovered my holy grail. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Tip: bake the pie on a baking sheet

A important thing I found (overheard one day at a Crate & Barrel) is that baking the pie on a dry baking sheet prevents the bottom crust from becoming mushy.

I’ve done it both ways, and it’s amazing how well it works, particularly with a pie like strawberry rhubarb, which has a lot of moisture in the filling.

It was always one of the reasons I wasn’t a huge lover of fruit pies, but maybe I’m a convert today. [cue stunned gasps]

Strawberry rhubarb pie is sweet and tart

I can’t put my finger on what it is about the mix of strawberry and rhubarb that makes it so delightful. Maybe it’s the combination of sweet and sour that I like so much. I like sweet and salty combinations, so why not sweet and tart? All of this, paired with a crispy pie crust and crunchy coarse sugar, is just divine.

Slicing is easier on day two

After the first day, you’ll find it lot simpler to cut off slices. When you serve it on the first day, it will come apart somewhat and the filling will not be completely set. But I don’t mind it that way since I don’t care what my slices look like. Is it still tasty? YUP. As a result, I am unconcerned with appearances.

However, if you do, allow enough time for it to set so that you don’t wind up with the hot mess express.

Adjusting the sugar to make it more tart than sweet

Many people like their strawberry rhubarb pies with a sweet, delicate filling, but I prefer mine with a little more bite. You need a certain amount of sugar in the filling to achieve that gloriously crimson, juicy syrup that embraces your chopped party attendees (wow, that’s dark even for me), so you can only cut back so much before the texture of the final product suffers.

2 cup sugar (half granulated, half brown) is as low as I could go, but I use more strawberries than rhubarb, so it helps to replace some of the sweetness lost with the reduced sugar quantity. I discovered that 1

3 cup cornstarch to help solidify the filling, since the larger amount of strawberries yields more liquid. I also sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the crust, which I believe may assuage the anxieties of those with a sweeter tooth. I add a 1

Moreover, if you don’t serve it with vanilla ice cream, you’re doing it wrong. Just a thought.

Homemade or premade pie crust?

To be honest, I don’t normally take the effort to prepare homemade pie crust. But my buddy Tara has the ideal recipe that always comes out wonderfully!

As the storm passed, the boyfriend brought some to work and shared it with his colleagues, who gave it two thumbs up. As a result, this bad boy has been tried, true, and tested. I like to keep the crust basic and add a simple lattice top to allow some of the filling peek through, but you can get as creative as you like!

I’m simply worried that if the crust is beautiful than they are, the guest of honor will think you’re trying to outdo them. A word of caution.

Now, start your own strawberry party by making some pie. Bring friends around to assist you in inhaling and consuming it at a regular rate. Have them wear party hats and blow up some balloons without telling them why.

I’m not going to pretend that’s usual, but it’s definitely something I’d do.

It’s strange to be friends with me, you people.