Story originally printed in the Westby Times or online at www.westbytimes.com
Published - Friday, May 09, 2008
Across the Fence: Never Met A Pie I Didn't Like
I like pie. I tell people, "I've never met a pie I didn't like." OK, maybe that's stretching the truth a bit… a little white lie.
Some "institution" pies leave a lot to be desired. That's what I like to call pies that come ready-made. You just pop them in the oven and heat them up. Some restaurants pass them off as fresh-baked pies. I guess they can get by with that because they applied the heat. You can usually tell the institution pies because they're cut and individually wrapped with a piece of cellophane over the piece of pie. If you've ever tasted homemade, oven-baked pies, you know institution pies don't come close to the real thing.
I grew up with "real" pie. My mother was a master when it came to baking pies. She learned to cook and bake from her mother, and perfected her skills when she worked at Borgen's and Dinty's Restaurants in Westby before she was married.
It seems like we always had a couple pies around to choose from. Like I said before, I grew up on pie, real pie. There's a big difference between "real" pie and those "wannabe" pies.
In our travels, I've sampled a pie or two. Some people might even say, "It shows!" This past weekend we decided to go for a drive in the country and ended up in Gays Mills. I think maybe I pointed the car in that direction, knowing once we got there; we'd have to stop at the Red Apple Inn. I can't go to Gays Mills without stopping for a piece of their homemade pie. This time both Linda and I had strawberry-rhubarb. I topped mine with ice cream. It was delicious, the way homemade pie is supposed to taste. Last time we stopped I had apple pie. It was great. The crust was just right and the apple slices melted in your mouth.
Institution pie makers could take a few lessons from the Red Apple Inn on how to make a quality piece of pie. How many times have you ordered a piece of apple pie at a restaurant and knew immediately it was not the "real" thing? The apple slices were like chewing on a piece of rubber.
And then there's rhubarb pie. Spring is the time for fresh rhubarb. A few years ago we were out for another drive and stopped in Reedsburg at Longley's Restaurant. I saw they had "fresh" rhubarb pie for dessert and knew I had to try a piece. I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven. It was the best rhubarb pie I'd ever tasted. Plus, the slices were good-sized, not those little "couple-of-bite" slivers you get in some restaurants. I ordered a second piece to take home. Later I wished I had ordered a whole pie.
Spring is also the time for strawberry pie made with fresh strawberries. I like to top mine with whipped cream. I can taste it now!
Graham cracker pie is one of my favorites. My mother made the best I've ever tasted. Whenever Borgen's Restaurant in Westby had graham cracker pie, I couldn't pass it up. Borgen's will be opening up again this summer and I'm hoping they have lots of homemade pies available. Uff da, I'll have to start exercising more so I can offset the pie calories! I'm waiting for the day someone invents a no-calorie, no-sugar, and no-fat pie that still tastes as good as "real" pie.
In late summer or early fall, it's worth a trip to Door County, Wisconsin during cherry season. Fresh Door County cherry pie at Wilson's in Ephraim is a must. Top it off with a big pile of ice cream and a cup of coffee, while watching the sunset across the bay in Eagle Harbor. Life is good.
Fall is also the time for pumpkin pie. I like mine smothered with whipped cream. Fresh raspberry pie is also a treat in the fall, not to mention apple pie. Try it with strips of cheese on top. If you like your pie heated, this is a great combination. Personally, I like my pie unheated, but each to their own. There is no right or wrong way to enjoy a good piece of pie.
If you're traveling in Wisconsin and you're close to Osseo, you've got to stop at Norski Nook. They're famous for their pies. You may want to skip a meal and just concentrate on a couple pieces of pie instead. They have man-size pieces of pie… real pie.
I haven't even mentioned, lemon meringue, butterscotch, banana cream, mince meat, chocolate cream, cranberry-apple, blueberry, Boston cream, key lime, peach, and even sugar-free pumpkin pie. Needless to say, I've had a few slices of pie over the years.
If you're a pie lover, you know the price has gone up just like everything else. Have you ever wondered how a $10.00 whole pie can cost $20.00 if you buy individual slices at $2.50 each? If you like pie as much as I do, buy the whole thing. Don't feel guilty. Tell people you're saving money. Pie lovers of the world unite. Search out the best places for "real" pie and let other pie lovers know, myself included. Enjoy your pie… it's one of life's little pleasures.
All stories copyright 2006 Westby Times and other attributed sources.