The carry-in is a great tradition of the American office — at least in the Midwest. I’m convinced the crock pot is used less to prepare meals for a family than to keep chili or soup or a cheese dip warm from morning coffee break until everyone’s finally sick of it around 1 p.m. or so.
Last month’s apple pie was such a hit at my office we’ve inaugurated a Pie of the Month Club, and tomorrow’s is…anyone? Anyone?
Sure, you’re thinking pumpkin, but noooo. We decided pumpkin is a November cliche, and so tomorrow is…sweet potato pie.
I’m no southerner, and I’ve never made one of these suckers before, but I gotta tell you — if the Nigella fingerfuls of the filling are any indication, this may raise the bar to dizzying heights. This may outscore all the fruit entries. This may be a benchmark.
It’s the Meyer’s Rum that does it. Ooohhh Caleb, you’re in for a treat. At least I think so.
Share your pie thoughts below. No red/blue squabbling. No trolling. It’s Friday. Lighten up.
Bob said on November 18, 2004 at 9:49 pm
Sweet potato pie is good eatin’. So is another variation on pumpkin, squash pie. My grandmother used to make it from those long-necked, smooth-skinned summer squash. It’s similar to pumpkin but richer in flavor.
Another favorite that she used to make is rhubarb-custard — and raisin pie — and mince pie — and gooseberry pie — and …
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deb said on November 18, 2004 at 10:55 pm
my grandmother used to make squash pie, too. my favorites, though, were peanut-butter pie (you might as well just hook yourself up to life support after eating a slice of THAT) and blackberry cobbler, made from just-picked berries from the cow pasture next to our house. now that’s eatin’. i found a blackberry pie at a farmers’ market a few years ago and ate the whole thing myself. well, over a period of days, but still. worth every calorie.
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4dbirds said on November 18, 2004 at 11:16 pm
The fresh strawberry pie one could get at Marie Calendars. Not the Marie’s of today, but 30 years ago when it was still a family business. YUM!!
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ashley said on November 19, 2004 at 12:29 am
deb, you rule.
For my birthday this year, I told da wife no cake, but a peanut butter pie.
Amen, Hallelujah.
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ashley said on November 19, 2004 at 12:31 am
Oh, and just as the Myers’s Rum makes the sweet potato pie, throw a jigger of Booker’s Bourbon into your pecan pie.
Boo Yah.
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vince said on November 19, 2004 at 12:32 am
Since we seem to have a squash theme going, I have another favorite that wows ’em every time — and helps use up some of those pumpkins.
Try yourself some pumpkin chocolate cheesecake.
Nance, you’ve tasted mine. I hope it merits a place in your cookbook too!
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beth said on November 19, 2004 at 1:26 am
Though its out of season now, nothing beats a strawberry rhubarb pie, especially the ones my grandmother used to bake!
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John said on November 19, 2004 at 7:30 am
Grandma made a mean mince meat pie. I mostly like any kind but definitely my favorites are in the cobbler family with blackberry being the king of all desserts (with ice cream, of course!). My dad preferred apple pie served hot with a slice of cheddar go to with it.
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sammyjo said on November 19, 2004 at 8:26 am
my grandma used to make this lemonaid pie that was to die for. a slice of that goodness on a hot n humid summer day made it almost okay to grow up in sticky indiana.
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danno said on November 19, 2004 at 9:04 am
4dbirds – the strawberry is great, but I have to say the Razzleberry (black and red raspberries) is to die for!! All time fav here is still a good homemade pecan pie. I love the combo of the sweet filling and the meaty nuts.
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brian stouder said on November 19, 2004 at 9:10 am
First fave: (warm) Cherry pie; flakey crust; (very cold) vanilla ice cream
First runner up: (chilled) cream cheese cake with crumbly graham cracker crust and that creme brou le stuff slathered on
Honorable mention: (warm) pecan pie; flakey crust; (soft) vanilla ice cream
Miss Congeniality: (chilled) banana creme pie with crumbly graham cracker crust – and/or with crushed nuts in the crust
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4dbirds said on November 19, 2004 at 9:39 am
Least favorite pie, the chocolate ‘industrial’ pudding pie with fake whipped cream on top found in diners across the US.
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Danny said on November 19, 2004 at 9:50 am
Gawd! I can’t take it! I’ve not had my first cup of coffee yet, my willpower is low, and all I can think about is how I need to eat some pie, RIGHT NOW!
Luckily, I’m serving tonight at the annual women’s holiday desert for my wife’s table. If I can just hold off until then…we’ll see [stomach grumblin’]
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adrianne said on November 19, 2004 at 10:22 am
And here’s the best part of Thanksgiving: pie for breakfast the next day. Apple, pumpkin, coconut custard were the standards at the Montgomery table.
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beth said on November 19, 2004 at 10:45 am
There is nothing better than pumpkin pie for breakfast!
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Miss Beth said on November 19, 2004 at 11:09 am
I made a pine nut pie (that rocked, by the way) from a recipe found in the book “Intercourses.” It’s this often hilarious cookbook documenting the sensuality of food as well as providing fairly simple and tasty recipes. I don’t know ’bout you all, but I feel very un-sexy after stuffing myself with two or three or eight pieces of pie. So goes it…but I highly recommend it, especially if you like sugar cream pies.
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4dbirds said on November 19, 2004 at 11:26 am
Miss Beth, you are too funny. I also feel very unsexy after eating dessert and my husband always frowns when he sees me stuffing my face. (What does it say that I’ll choose the dessert anyway, knowing I’m rejecting him?)
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Mindy said on November 19, 2004 at 12:11 pm
Oh, yum, sugar cream pie! My favorite recipe for it truly must be the reference for “easy as pie.” Mix, pour, and bake.
Years ago when my husband was in the Air Force, the wife of his crew chief and I prepared a large Thanksgiving dinner for a group of single airmen who had no place to spend the day. The pies and stuffing were my responsibility. The apple turned out to be a work of art and I was very proud of it. The golden crust rippled and gleamed like photos of pies in magazines. When the feeding frenzy was complete and it came time to collect the mountain of dishes, I found six pieces of apple pie on plates hidden in various spots in the room. Only one bite was out of each, much to my dismay. I took a bite of one and foud out why. Sage, ugh! I had made the apple pie and the stuffing at the same time. The stuffing was great, though; not a hint of cinnamon.
My friend has a similar horror story – no sugar in the pumpkin pie. People dumped sugar on their slices trying to make them edible. At least no one said anything about my awful pie. My friend endures her brother’s torments every Thanksgiving.
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Marci said on November 19, 2004 at 12:13 pm
My pie favorites, in order of preference:
My own Chocolate Pecan Pie
My own Pumpkin Cheesecake (w/ginger snap crust & whipped cream topping)
My mom’s Key Lime Pie
My mom’s Apple Pie
And do the Banana Creme Pie shakes from Sonic count?
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Nance said on November 19, 2004 at 2:24 pm
Vince’s pumpkin chocolate cheesecake is, indeed, the food of the gods. My other faves: Cherry (made year-round with frozen cherries, not the canned crap), peach, apple…oh, hell, is there a bad pie in the world? I don’t think so.
Today’s s.p. went over pretty well, and by acclaimation we have a nominee for December’s Pie of the Month: Raspberry mousse pie in a chocolate brownie crust. Very gourmet, but ohhhhhhh so good. “I think you have a mandate,” Caleb said. Such a sweet boy.
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ashley said on November 19, 2004 at 2:57 pm
A quote from a friend, who was in a band with me back in college, and became a professional drummer for a while, and is now a DJ.
“Back in the 80s and 90s, we had to worry about falling into that trap of drug and alcohol abuse. Now, the thing that can be our downfall is pie.”
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deb said on November 19, 2004 at 7:13 pm
oh, yes. i’m with you, ashley — i never want cake for my birthday. i want pie. as a friend of mine said a while back, “the only thing wrong with cake is that it’s not pie.”
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vince said on November 19, 2004 at 9:28 pm
When it comes to pie, logic goes out the door for me.
Pecan pie, to my taste buds, is too rich. Don’t care for it.
But get this.
If you ADD yet more sugar to it, in the form of chocolate, I LOVE IT!
How can Pecan Pie be too rich and Chocolate Pecan Pie be just right?
I gave up trying to figure it out. I just eat.
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Bob said on November 20, 2004 at 9:23 pm
Does anybody else remember Gardner’s drive-in downtown in the late fifties? They had a killer strawberry pie, topped with gobs of real whipped cream.
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ARiley said on November 23, 2004 at 6:21 pm
Okay, Nance, spill. I’ve been searching the ‘Net for a recipe for sweet potato pie with the Myer’s rum in it, and I can’t find it. What’s the recipe? I’ve got people to impress Thursday night!
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Nance said on November 23, 2004 at 7:13 pm
It’s in the Fannie Farmer cookbook, which everyone has — or should. But I’m typing it up tonight for the Vincester, so I’ll CC it to you.
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skeeter Reeves said on January 11, 2005 at 2:39 pm
I have found that eating a peice of pie for breakfast after thanksgiving or x-mas is the best thing next to my strawberry cheese cake with choc. bottom.
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virginia gillespie said on April 20, 2005 at 9:32 pm
does anyone out there have the recipe for maria callendars strawberry pie?? virgilles70@yahoo.com
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Jane said on November 15, 2005 at 8:23 pm
Hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream, that is where it is at.
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