3.1415926… how many digits of pi can you remember? And why is there a day dedicated to it? You can thank Larry Shaw, a physicist who decided math could be a little more fun and instituted the first Pi Day celebration in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium on March 14 (3.14 – get it?). While pi is essential to the world of mathematics, we’d argue that pie is essential to the palate. So, to celebrate 3.14, we decided to talk to some Michigan pie experts, to get the scoop on their pie perspectives.
Pie vs Cake: Is it a fair fight?
Lisa Ludwinski, Owner | Sister Pie
What I love most about pie is the ability to make Michigan product the star of the show. While cake can have seasonal elements, pie can showcase a vegetable or fruit in a straightforward way, complemented by the crust’s flaky texture.
Amy Emberling, Managing Partner | Zingerman’s Bakehouse
Well, I love them both but have to say that pie might be more versatile. It’s easier, for instance, to eat pie for breakfast and claim that it makes sense nutritionally! Pie just has so much variety associated with it – warm, cold, fruit- or cream-filled, baked, unbaked.
Jannie Teitelbaum, Owner | Great Lakes Pot Pies
I love both but pie can be sweet or savory which allows it to be served as a main dish or a dessert.
Tell me about your best-selling pie and what makes it unique.
LL: Right now, when we don’t have abundant access to fresh Michigan produce we’re using (and selling) a lot of chocolate and lemon pies. However, our Sweet Beet Pie is a popular seasonal option that showcases Michigan beets with an almost cheesecake-like, earthy flavor.
AE: Our most popular pie is our Pecan Pie. It’s the only pie we sell all year round. There are 6 ounces of pecans in each pie! The filling has real eggs, real butter, and real vanilla, but what makes it super special is the muscovado brown sugar – brown sugar we buy from the Island of Mauritius and it’s incredibly flavorful. The pie has an all-butter crust, which has a mellow caramelly flavor and crisp texture.
JT: Our Chicken Pot Pie outsells all of our other pies. Other popular options include beef stew and Italian Meat, but we also have gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options.
Find these recipe books online or at your local library to bake your own delicious pies.
What local ingredients do you incorporate into your bakes? Which is your favorite?
LL: We partner with Michigan growers whenever possible. If it’s grown in Michigan, we’ll source it from Michigan. And it’s not just produce, our heavy cream comes from Guernsey Farms, flour from Hampshire Farms, and eggs are farm-fresh each week.
AE: We love using local fruit in our fruit pies and living in Michigan makes that easy. Our cherry, apple, and rhubarb pies are made from fresh Michigan fruit. We also use flour for our crusts that comes from grain grown in Michigan and southern Illinois.
JT: We really like to use Michigan ingredients when we can and intentionally select suppliers that source products from Michigan farms.
No matter where you live in the state, you don’t have to go far to find good pie. Visit our Find Local Farms & Food Directory where you can find pies in your neighborhood! Making your own? Try the recipes listed below!
Emily Row is the Brand and Media Manager at Taste the Local Difference. You may contact her via email [email protected].