Knauss Berry Farm

Knauss Berry Farm, just north of Homestead in Redlands, Florida, is no secret; it's on all the tourist maps and brochures which list area attractions. They offer pick-your-own strawberries and tomatoes and have an on-premise bakery. On a recent Saturday attempt, there wasn't anything resembling a reasonable parking spot to be had and the line of people waiting for cinnamon buns, cakes, breads and berries snaked outside the building and streamed far into the parking lot. While I felt it was worth the wait, I didn't have that kind of time. Last Thursday, my in-laws stopped by and were able to breeze in and make a few purchases with no trouble. They bought a pint of ripe, flawless strawberries, along with a 6-pack of Knauss' famous cinnamon buns. That day they also bought another item--the last apricot pie on the shelf.

Apricot pie. Having never tasted one before, I thought that it was made with fresh or canned apricots- like an apple pie or a cherry pie. It never occurred to me that it might be made with dried apricots but it is! Dried apricots are boiled with water, sugar, and cornstarch making the sweet-yet-tart most apricotty deliciousness you can imagine in your wildest dreams. The flavor is so bold- there are no nuances, no question about what ingredients go into this pie. With one bite, it's beautifully clear. It's pure apricot.



After my first bite, there was no question that I would have to revise my Top 5 Favorite Foods List to include apricot pie. My Top 5 list does change, albeit infrequently. What are your top 5? At this rate, mine's going to be a Top 10 list...and the eggs.