Me, oh my, pie.
10 celebrity chefs, 10 pies … including this brownie bacon pie.
And I got to judge them all at the 2nd Annual Chow Bella Pie Social.
It’s a tough job. No, really. But I wouldn’t trade it for a minute. We all know I love pie.
Joining me under the judging tent was returning judge and Chow Bella contributor Carol Blonder, restaurateur Matt Poole (along with his cream pie-loving son), Andrea White from Saffron Kitchen, and Barb Harris from Feeding Frenzy.
We all took our jobs very seriously, tasting each of the pies and then tasting them again. And again.
The results will be announced on Monday on Chow Bella, but here is a preview of some of the pies. We tasted blind, so we didn’t know who made which pie.
Who doesn’t love gooey caramel and pecans, especially one dusted with a whisper of glitter?
A simple, but elegant apple crumb. Not too sweet, and the apples retained a touch of crispness. Lovely.
Roasted cashews, caramel, chocolate mousse and cream — a candy bar in a pie.
The crust cutouts were a hint of what was in this apple, mango and pepita pie: jalapeños. Lots going on in this busy pie.
This apple crumb pie also held a surprise — a serious kick of green chile. Absolutely delicious. My favorite, by a crumb.
Now this is what I call a balanced plate.
Thank you Amy Silverman and Shannon Armour from Phoenix New Times Chow Bella for putting on another fabulous Pie Social. And congrats to all the chefs and bakers — you’re all winners.
Now, I think I’ll go have another slice of pie.
