Les tartes de Simonne

Apple pie (ready to bake)

Born in 1914, the same year that Canada entered the First World War, Simonne grew up at the end of Saguenay−Lac-Saint-Jean’s settlement period. At the age of 14, she started working as a maid for a doctor and got married at 20 to a farmer’s son, who became a merchant in her village. She had her first son in 1935 and was the mother of 9 children. The house was always busy with family, friends, employees, and trappers passing by to stock up at her husband’s store. The dinner tables were always full and when it came time for dessert, Simonne’s pies were always eagerly anticipated. With summer came pies made with seasonal fruits (strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, blueberries, etc.) that the children picked, eating almost as many as they put in their baskets! The pies were baked in a wood-fired oven in the summer kitchen attached to the house, which gave them a unique taste. Simonne has been inspiring her family’s dinner tables for generations, and today she is the inspiration behind the pie that you are about to taste. The apple harvest is often a time of unforgettable family gatherings and signals the end of the summer season. The crunchy and crispy star of Canada’s Food Guide, this little sphere, made up of over 80% water, is rich in flavour and antioxidants such as catechin and quercetin, which are allies against cancer and very good for the brain. Its fibre-rich skin helps regulate intestinal transit. Apples are excellent appetite suppressants, and they also promote the production of saliva, which protects teeth against bacteria and cavities. Apples contain phosphorous, which prevents sleeping problems and helps combat anxiety. So it can be said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away!