In my opinion, there are two seasons for pie: summer and fall. The fillings may change, but the childlike excitement remains the same. There, wrapped like the most delicious gift, lies the best of the season. In the fall, we celebrate pumpkins, apples and nut-flavored custards, each slow-cooked and transformed to perfection.

Like fall, summer also has its pies. But here and now, we revel in the vibrancy of the season, the rich reds, deep blues, and never-ending purples; and we marvel at the complexity of that ideal sweet-tart balance of flavors. We take more than just a moment to revere stone fruit and luscious berries, individual Technicolor masterpieces whose flavors are slowly perfected over time under a hot summer sun.

If you think about it, almost any summer fruit works in pie: berries, stone fruit — even grapes and fragrant melon — so long as the fruit has had a chance to ripen. Fully ripened, the fruit has that rare balance of sweet-tart notes to create an ideal harmony of flavors. Continue reading for recipes and tips…