Part of the impetus for the pie odyssey is what I perceive to be a general lack of pie in the state of Virginia. Prior to moving here, I spent most of my adult life in Texas and Wisconsin, where pie is omnipresent. Without half trying, I could name multiple locations in either state where you can get delicious pie. In Houston, there is a fine 24 pie restaurant. In college, there was a Pie Lady who would come around to the various academic departments once a week with a box full of mini pies for sale. My college roommate and I spent many lovely hours comparing the virtues of the various Pie Lady flavors – would we get apple this week, or lemon chess? It was the pie lady who first introduced me to the concept of buttermilk pie.
In Wisconsin, it seems like every restaurant has a bakery counter loaded with pies. There are bars that have pies up on the bar in front of the taps. Madison has one pie restaurant t
hat features both sweet and savory pies, such that you can have an entire meal, just of pie. I always felt like in Wisconsin, when you were waiting at the bus stop, there was a 50/50 chance that whoever was standing next to you might actually have been a revolving pie case, and not an actual human being.
But Virginia just doesn’t seem to have that strong a pie culture. My co-workers are probably sick of hearing me rant about this, but when the topic came up again last week, none of us could think of a single restaurant in our area with a pie case. It was chilling. But I’m optimistic that I just haven’t been going to the right places, and may in fact need to venture farther afield in search of pie. So a second goal of the pie odyssey is going to be searching out places in Virginia with good pie. And of course, promoting pie to the people of Virginia. (photo: pies on top of the bakery case at Monty's Blue Plate Diner, Madison Wisconsin. courtesty Michel H.)
In Wisconsin, it seems like every restaurant has a bakery counter loaded with pies. There are bars that have pies up on the bar in front of the taps. Madison has one pie restaurant t
hat features both sweet and savory pies, such that you can have an entire meal, just of pie. I always felt like in Wisconsin, when you were waiting at the bus stop, there was a 50/50 chance that whoever was standing next to you might actually have been a revolving pie case, and not an actual human being.But Virginia just doesn’t seem to have that strong a pie culture. My co-workers are probably sick of hearing me rant about this, but when the topic came up again last week, none of us could think of a single restaurant in our area with a pie case. It was chilling. But I’m optimistic that I just haven’t been going to the right places, and may in fact need to venture farther afield in search of pie. So a second goal of the pie odyssey is going to be searching out places in Virginia with good pie. And of course, promoting pie to the people of Virginia. (photo: pies on top of the bakery case at Monty's Blue Plate Diner, Madison Wisconsin. courtesty Michel H.)
2 comments:
I can't think of any restaurants with pie cases in Charlottesville, but head over to the Valley (Waynesboro, Staunton, Harrisonburg) and you'll find plenty.
I believe Wayside Fried Chicken has chocolate and lemon meringue pies. Hotcakes probably has some, too. But you're right, I can't think of any C-ville restaurants with much in the way of pie.
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