This past weekend, my mom and I had the great pleasure of hosting a creative baking contest called Pie Oh My. As its name suggests, it focused on creating a fall favorite dessert, pie.
Requirements for making a pie were to use seasonal ingredients that were sweet rather than savory. Three criteria everyone was judged on included appearance, taste and creativity. Everyone filled out a ballot and was therefore a judge. Contestant anonymity was kept throughout judging to ensure fairness.
We had a total of 12 pie makers so needless to say, competition was stiff, and everyone pulled out the big guns. Here's a list of our fabulous pies--and competitors--that were showcased:
Mocha Pecan Pie with Coffee Whipped Cream - Kim
Classic Homemade Apple Pie - Edita
Requirements for making a pie were to use seasonal ingredients that were sweet rather than savory. Three criteria everyone was judged on included appearance, taste and creativity. Everyone filled out a ballot and was therefore a judge. Contestant anonymity was kept throughout judging to ensure fairness.
We had a total of 12 pie makers so needless to say, competition was stiff, and everyone pulled out the big guns. Here's a list of our fabulous pies--and competitors--that were showcased:
Mocha Pecan Pie with Coffee Whipped Cream - Kim
Classic Homemade Apple Pie - Edita
Caramelized Apple Pecan Pie - Ida and Vicky
Carrot Spice Walnut Pie - Vicki
Caramel Walnut Pecan Pie with Honey Whipped Cream - Eva
Caramel Walnut Pecan Pie with Honey Whipped Cream - Eva
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie - Diana
Sweet Potato Pie - Hela
iMac Apple Pie - Stephanie
Maple Pumpkin Pie - Stephanie
Maple Pumpkin Pie - Stephanie
Chocolate Chestnut Pie - Magda
Apple Pie with Cherries - Mira
Old Fashioned Lattice Apple Pie - Foodista
Some of my personal stand-outs included:
Apple Pie with Cherries - It just so happened that this was my mom's pie and in addition to being a great cook, she's also a fantastic baker. What I loved about it was the super crunchy crust that was laid out in overlapping discs with a leaf imprint. It was artistic, fall-like and the apple filling inside tasted wonderful. The plump dried cherries were a nice addition that gave this sweet pie a bit of tartness. Here's the recipe.
Mocha Pecan Pie with Coffee Whipped Cream - This delicious beauty was a product of good friend and neighbor Kim, who went all out. Her pie (pictured above) had a nice golden crust and complex filling, consisting of a pecan/coffee mixture. The side of coffee whipped cream, which I found out was also made with Kahlua added that hint of surprise, giving a much welcome jolt to the senses. Kim's lovely embellishments made of leaves and chocolate dipped pecans didn't go unnoticed. Here's the recipe.
Caramel Walnut Pecan Pie with Honey Whipped Cream - Another nut pie favorite belonged to my lovely cousin Eva. I think the stand-out ingredient was the honey, as it gave the pie a comforting flavor mixed with a satisfying crunch from the nuts. The crust was nice too, super flaky and not too heavy. I remember feeling excited to take another bite and after judging was completed, I stood over it and picked at it with delight. Email me for the recipe.
The Winner:
Old Fashioned Lattice Apple Pie - Foodista
Some of my personal stand-outs included:
Apple Pie with Cherries - It just so happened that this was my mom's pie and in addition to being a great cook, she's also a fantastic baker. What I loved about it was the super crunchy crust that was laid out in overlapping discs with a leaf imprint. It was artistic, fall-like and the apple filling inside tasted wonderful. The plump dried cherries were a nice addition that gave this sweet pie a bit of tartness. Here's the recipe.
Mocha Pecan Pie with Coffee Whipped Cream - This delicious beauty was a product of good friend and neighbor Kim, who went all out. Her pie (pictured above) had a nice golden crust and complex filling, consisting of a pecan/coffee mixture. The side of coffee whipped cream, which I found out was also made with Kahlua added that hint of surprise, giving a much welcome jolt to the senses. Kim's lovely embellishments made of leaves and chocolate dipped pecans didn't go unnoticed. Here's the recipe.
Caramel Walnut Pecan Pie with Honey Whipped Cream - Another nut pie favorite belonged to my lovely cousin Eva. I think the stand-out ingredient was the honey, as it gave the pie a comforting flavor mixed with a satisfying crunch from the nuts. The crust was nice too, super flaky and not too heavy. I remember feeling excited to take another bite and after judging was completed, I stood over it and picked at it with delight. Email me for the recipe.
The Winner:
You're probably wondering who won the Pie Oh My contest. Well even though I'm a tad embarrassed to say it, it was yours truly, with my classic Lattice Apple pie pictured above. Everyone seemed to love its pretty crust and classic apple filling. I'll reveal the recipe and exactly how I made it on Thanksgiving, so you have to wait until then.
Overall, Pie Oh My was a great success that we plan to do again next year. It was a fun way to get close family and friends together in a setting that allowed us to release our competitive and creative juices. I encourage you to host a cooking or baking contest of your own - I guarantee that you and your guests will love it.
For more pictures of Pie Oh My, check out my latest slide show - located on my homepage on the right side, below my email.
Overall, Pie Oh My was a great success that we plan to do again next year. It was a fun way to get close family and friends together in a setting that allowed us to release our competitive and creative juices. I encourage you to host a cooking or baking contest of your own - I guarantee that you and your guests will love it.
For more pictures of Pie Oh My, check out my latest slide show - located on my homepage on the right side, below my email.
Wow! Sounds like such fun and a great idea! I'm getting hungry...
ReplyDeleteIt's a lot of fun - you should try it.
ReplyDelete