Grape Pie

This is my favorite pie, though many people have never heard of it. It is a Lowcountry classic. It can be made with any of the native American grapes. Some people use cornstarch or instant tapioca to thicken fruit pies—or, worse, wheat flour. Rice flour is tasteless and disappears, utterly transparently, into the fruit juices.

It was the pastry chef Kelly Bugden who taught me how to make perfect piecrust. Alas, I am never satisfied with my results unle