MICRO POST….. Pi(e) Day is Coming — A Celebration of the Ages

I am posting this a few days early so you won’t miss Pi(e)day – a once in a lifetime occurrence.  On March 14, 2015 at exactly 9:26:53 am (and pm) it will be the long-awaited Pi time.  [These numbers: 3/14/15, 9:26:53 are the first 10 digits of Pi (π) the mathematical constant.] So let’s talk Pi(e)…….but the one you shouldn’t have constantly.

I once had a nutrition professor who often proclaimed “I eat to live….I don’t live to eat.”  I respected that (and him) – BUT it is a goal beyond my reach.  I love some bad things.  I don’t overdo them, but sometimes use them as rewards.  Honestly, readers who are strict with their diets are admirable and may wish to stop reading now.  Those of a more moderate ilk might both continue on and add their favorite.   Let’s agree to agree however that ‘sugar’ IS a bit of an enemy.  There is little doubt about this, but we might also agree that moderation is a good thing and reminds us to avoid foods that are less than salubrious unless they are truly filing up the spirit.  For me, if pie is exceptionally tasty it is a treat.  But for my husband pie is a treasure to celebrate and a MUST for Aging with Pizzazz.

At home, this started our conversation about favorite places for pie.  Whoa.  That opened a can of worms.  There are myriad places for pie, many which I have certainly never even heard of let alone visited, but we all have our preferences.  Admittedly, I suspect that some of my favorites have more to do with the PLACE than the pie, which also means that Marie Calendars is not making my list (no offense to MC lovers). So here I am sharing some of my memorable pie places (my husband can keep his own list), and I would be happy to hear about yours.  The list is not really in any order because in reality the best pie is either the next one to come or one of our past dreams.

1. Bryce Canyon area, UTAH. Maybe #1 on both our lists.  In the middle of nowhere on Rt 12 outside the national park, there are 2 places.  Some people favor Fosters Steak House, but our #1 is Bryce Canyon Pines. [Don’t expect fancy by any means.]
2. Café Intermezzo, several places near Atlanta GA. If you don’t like pie, go here anyway.  The pastry tour is amazing.  I also got hooked on their café Bach.
3. Rock City Café (Black Canyon City, Arizona on Rt 17 about 40 minutes north of Phoenix). Neat shops, cowboy bar and restaurant but most known for the pies.  I could never pass up the Jim Beam Pecan pie.
4. Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, MA. Several options for dining at this inn, mostly upscale, but all are a real treat.  No doubt about it – the Apple Pie.
5. Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard – Shelburne CT. Maybe open on a seasonal basis only, in the autumn.  A fun location and great pie (Apple again   )
6. Wayside Inn, Middletown Virginia. Even if you go for breakfast, consider dessert at this historic place. I snuck it in because my dessert was more cobbler than pie (but on the day you visit they may have regular pie too).
7. The Little Pie Company (of the Big Apple). Between 9^th & 10^th Avenue on 43^rd St. in Manhattan NY discover a great gem.  There is no way not to find something you like here, the variety is exceptional.
8. Central Market in Lancaster PA (located in the heart of Amish Country). This place is BIG and fantastically fun to stop and play around at a while, but the unique feature for this list is the Shoofly pie.  (This isn’t for everyone and don’t eat a whole piece yourself if you don’t like the taste of molasses).

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9. Petsi in Somerville, MA. I barely remember the place, but you can have both sweet potato & pecan pie.
10. Regional favorites (cheating a bit to add these). I love Blueberry Pie (or pancakes, or muffins, or cobbler or anything with blueberry) outside of Acadia National Park in Maine.  Hmmmm.  Key Lime Pie on Hilton Head Island and many other southern cities is wonderfully shocking to the taste buds.  I think Key Lime in the south is more consistent than their ‘well-known-for’ pecan, which can be southern super or only so-so.  Pecan is just as likely to be tasty anywhere.  We never got to try “fried pie” in the south (and not sure I would have had the courage considering what the idea does to my stomach), but we are told it is a beloved specialty in Louisiana and especially in Arkansas.

I can’t end this post without writing a sad note about a closure.  My favorite dessert place EVER was Café Mittenburg (run by Ericka in Middletown, NY).  I am sure it is missed by many. While the Eric Schat Bakery in Bishop California has the same European flavor (and is always a worthwhile stop), it doesn’t come close to the ambiance of a European café like Mittenburg.   So, did this get you thinking about YOUR favorite?

Happy Pi(e) Day – hope it is part of your life – but maybe not a ‘constant’.

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Picture credit: Title Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA