Our Favorite Fall Pie Recipes

The gorgeous tart red cherries Michigan specializes in (the state produces about 75 percent of the nation's crop) are kind of a pain. They stain your fingers and threaten your clothes if you drip. But who would deny a cherry pie is worth the hassle?

The perfect balance: Try about 6 cups of the pitted fruit and enough granulated sugar to offset the berry tartness.

Thickeners: While flour or cornstarch usually thickens apple pie, we stick to cornstarch or tapioca for cherry because it doesn't cloud the red color.

Smooth taste: Some bakers use a few drops of almond flavoring to mellow the fruit.

Fresh or frozen? Even if you're not lucky enough to have fresh tart red cherries in your area, you can fool almost anybody with a version created with a batch from the supermarket freezer case. Just don't try it on anyone from Michigan.