The Pie’s the Limit

pipie
Happy Pi Day! The mathematical holiday is annually observed on March 14 in honor of the three most significant digits of π’s decimal form. Pi Day 1988 was the earliest known large-scale celebration, taking place at the San Francisco Exploratorium and organized by physicist Larry Shaw. The United States House of Representatives supported the holiday in 2009.

pumpple

The best way to celebrate Pi Day is to eat, well, pie! There are plenty of places in Philly where you can satisfy your crusty cravings. The heavenly coconut cream pie from Beiler’s Bakery in Reading Terminal Market will make you feel like you’re floating in the clouds with its lush filling and light crust. Also in Reading Terminal Market, Flying Monkey Bakery serves up a monstrosity known as the Pumpple. This dessert version of a turducken features a chocolate and vanilla layer cake with whole pumpkin and apple pies baked inside. If that’s a bit much for one sitting, Flying Monkey also bakes up whoopie pies offered in a myriad of flavors. For a rich, dense slice of Southern perfection, dig your fork into a piece of pecan at Percy Street BarbecueGarces Trading Company‘s pie offering changes with the season; past flavors include maple-bacon-apple, gingersnap-pumpkin, and pecan-bourbon-dark-chocolateMagpie Artisan Pies specializes in the treat, making both savory and sweet creations for guests. Go for one of the seasonal fruit varieties, like the pear ginger pie I picked up on my last visit.

Additionally, here’s a round-up of some unique pies you can whip up on your own to celebrate:

bacon-bourbon-pie
No Recipes features a bacon and bourbon pecan pie, the perfect mix of savory and sweet. I’m not afraid to admit that when munching on breakfast fare, I’ve occasionally let the golden brown maple syrup slide away from my pancakes and pool sweetly next to my bacon and sausage. Besides, no application is too strange for bacon.

pomegranate-whitechoc-pie

Inspired by dark chocolate mousse pie, Sugarcrafter adapted her original recipe into a pomegranate white chocolate mousse pie. The mousse, light and airy, takes on a lovely purple-pink hue from the ingredients used. While tangy and fruity from the pomegranate juice, the sugar and white chocolate balance it out with just the right amount of sweetness.

peach-handpie

The bourbon peach hand pies (bourbon seems to be a trend, doesn’t it?) featured on Smitten Kitchen offer a handy alternative way to enjoy your pie. According to SK blogger Deb Perelman, the pastry used for the fruit-enclosed turnovers was “so puffy and flaky, it’s practically a laminated dough.” That description alone makes me salivate. She’s also tried her hand at strawberry hand pies.

apple-cheddar-pie

Another savory-sweet combination comes in the form of cheddar-crusted apple pie from Dash of East. The cheese adds a new dimension to the standard apple pie, rounding out the flavor and making a slice (or two) simply addictive.

cherry-flatpie

Who says your pie needs to be round? Smitten Kitchen’s sour cherry slab pie (adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe) is like one giant Pop-Tart, except much more rustic, flakier, and tastier. Deb explains that “the large swaths of dough manage show off their layers better than they do in smaller quantities, landing shatters and flecks like confetti all over your plate.” This is also the solution when crafting pie for dozens if you’re of the generous sort. This pie, along with many of the other pies mentioned, can be filled with whatever mix of fruits you like; I was particularly enamored with the Martha Stewart-recommended combination of pineapples poached in rum, sugar, and vanilla bean.

Pictures courtesy of their respective recipe websites.

— Nicole Woon

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