History

Wild lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) are native to the Maine barrens; the Wabanaki peoples cultivated them for thousands of years before European settlement. Commercial wild blueberry production began in the 1840s in Washington County, Maine; today Maine produces nearly all US wild blueberries. The pie has been a Maine summer staple since the late 1800s, with cookbooks from the Maine Cooperative Extension formalising the canonical sugar-and-cornstarch ratio in the 1920s. Two Fat Cats Bakery on Lancaster Street and Becky's Diner both run a canonical July to August blueberry pie window.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 8Hands-on 45 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 batch double pie crust (chilled, top and bottom)
  • 700g wild Maine blueberries (fresh or thawed frozen, drained)
  • 150g granulated sugar
  • 30g cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter, cut in pieces
  • 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
  • Coarse sugar for dusting

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200 C. Roll out the bottom crust and fit into a 23 cm pie dish.
  2. Combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Toss gently to coat.
  3. Pour the filling into the crust. Dot with butter pieces.
  4. Roll out the top crust. Lay over the filling, trim and crimp the edges. Cut steam vents.
  5. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  6. Bake on a sheet pan at 200 C for 25 minutes, then reduce to 180 C and bake 35 to 45 minutes more until the filling bubbles through the vents.
  7. Cool at least 2 hours before slicing. The starch needs to set.

Tip from the editors. Use wild Maine lowbush blueberries (smaller, more intense). Cultivated highbush blueberries make a softer, sweeter pie that needs less starch.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat wild maine blueberry pie

Wild Maine blueberry pie in Portland

Two Fat Cats Bakery ★ 4.7

east-baysideMon-Sat 08:00-18:00Walk-in onlyAmerican pies, whoopie pies, cakes

Two Fat Cats on Lancaster Street, founded 2005 by the Fore Street team and bought 2012 by Stacy Begin, runs whoopie pies, fruit pies and cakes.

Tip: Open Monday to Saturday. Pre-order whole pies 48 hours ahead via the operator site.

Worth the queue: Wild Maine blueberry pie

195 Lancaster Street, Portland, ME 04101

Becky's Diner ★ 4.3

All-day breakfast, working waterfront$10-22old-portDaily 05:00-21:00Walk-in only

Becky's Diner on Commercial Street has run on the working waterfront since 1991, opening at 05:00 for the fishing crews and the breakfast queue behind them.

Order: Short stack with bacon and a cup of clam chowder.

Tip: Cash and card both fine. Queues longest 09:00 to 11:00 weekends; early arrivals get the counter seats.

390 Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101

Standard Baking Co ★ 4.8

old-portDaily 07:30-17:00Walk-in onlyLevain breads, French laminated pastries

Standard Baking on Commercial Street, since 1995 from Alison Pray and Matt James, is Portland's artisan bakery for levain breads and laminated pastries.

Tip: Open 07:30 daily; the cinnamon-walnut morning bun lot sells out by 11:00, the country sourdough boules around 14:00.

Worth the queue: Morning bun with walnut and cinnamon sugar

75 Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101

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