Chip’s last Evernote entry, 05/29/2020

On this date, Chip made his final entry in his Evernote app. He titled the note “Strawberry Pie and Liquor.” The May 29, 2020 note began with brands of liquors and vermouth he wanted to acquire followed by three ideas he was kicking around for naming a band (I’m not sure if he meant the names for a band he would play in or if he was thinking of band names for others). He rounded out the note with his recipe for Strawberry Pie (which was a favorite during peak strawberry season).

Luksusowa - Vodka

Milagro - Tequila

Rittenhouse - Rye

Evans Williams - Bourbon

Dolin Dry - Dry Vermouth

Carpano Antica Formula - Sweet Vermouth

Beefeater - Gin

El Dorado - Rhum

Matilde’s Liquers - Fruit Liqueurs

Smooth Ambler gin

Loose Livestock

Unwanted Outlaws

Nocan Playboys

STRAWBERRY PIE

6cups strawberries, halved

2 tablespoons port wine, creme de cassis or framboise, optional

1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin powder

Pinch kosher salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

1. While the pie shell is baking, start working on the strawberry sauce. Puree 2 cups of the strawberries in a blender until completely liquefied. Add the port, gelatin powder, salt and cornstarch, and blend for another minute.

2. Put sugar in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot and add about 1/2 cup of water just to moisten the sugar. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a pairing knife, scrape out the pulp with the back of the knife, and put the pulp and the pod into the pot. Cook over high heat without stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let it reduce until it resembles a thick syrup. Add the strawberry puree and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes while stirring constantly; the mixture will be thick. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

3. Gently toss the rest of the strawberries with the cooled strawberry mixture until they are evenly covered. Add the strawberry filling in the prepared shell so it makes a mound in the middle, packing it lightly with your hand so the strawberries stick together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I am so grateful for Chip’s legacy of recipes. I am grateful that he took the time to embody his thoughts run particular moments by way of his Evernote app. Truth be told, I haven’t been able to bring myself in the past year to make any of the recipes we enjoyed together. The memories of those dinners and desserts have been enough to satiate my need to feel close to him. At the end of every day though, it’s comforting to know his favorite recipes are there for me when I am ready for them.

Everlasting be his memory.