Les tartes de Simonne

Strawberry - rhubarb 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 strawberry is a plump and succulent red fruit that has been known since Roman times for its medicinal use. Full of flavour, it’s a delight for our taste buds. Strawberries are also a source of vitamin C and potassium. They are beneficial for cardiovascular health as they reduce the levels of bad cholesterol, and they also have anti-inflammatory properties. This fruit helps regulate the digestive system and is also very valuable in boosting the immune system. As well as being a visual treat for the eyes, strawberries are also good for them, as they strengthen the retina and cornea. So you might say that the strawberry is a hearty and gutsy fruit. Rhubarb isn’t a fruit—it’s a vegetable! Very low in calories and rich in fibre, rhubarb is known to limit the absorption of cholesterol and sugar and also to improve intestinal transit. So it can be said that rhubarb is an asset to your health!