By Kim Amboy :
Every year on March 14th, math fans celebrate Pi Day. They will tell you that Pi (3.14) is a very famous number having to do with circles and circumferences. Unfortunately, I’ve never had a head for numbers…but I do have a taste for PIE! And most pies are circles anyway, right? Happily, Pi Day can be a big day for math fans and pie connoisseurs alike.
Back in the 80’s, I smugly considered myself to be a pretty good pie maker. But my baking ego quickly deflated when I married my husband and acquired a mother-in-law from Missouri whose baking reputation preceded her. Alberta Joyce doesn’t just bake a pie; she creates pastry masterpieces of all sorts and lines them up on her counter in true smorgasbord fashion. Always filling her amazingly flakey and beautifully fluted crusts with pure, bubbling decadence, she has continued through the decades to outshine my own meager efforts to fill her giant, pie-baking shoes. C’est la vie.
Yet pie doesn’t have to be perfect to be delicious. A lopsided crust or a sunken top still tastes yummy with every bite (ask me how I know). Additionally, savory pies prove that it’s not just for dessert. Meat pies and pot pies have long been practical, hearty meals, and The Grill at Waterford, 13548 Waterford Pl in Midlothian, boasts a wonderful chicken pot pie served bubbling hot. Interestingly, back in the 1840’s in the mining regions of upper Michigan, a Cornish version of a thick crusted hand pie was commonly found in miners’ dinner pails and heated on a shovel held over a candle. Pretty clever!
This discussion wouldn’t be complete without mentioning PIZZA! The term pizza “pie” comes from the early 20th century when Italian immigrants described the circular, baked dish in a way that Americans could relate to. The term stuck and the rest is gastronomic history! Locally, La Cucina 11440 W. Huguenot Rd in Midlothian offers several varieties of authentic gourmet pizza, including Bianco, Bruschetta, Mediterranean, and Fig & Pig… all made using the finest and freshest ingredients.
So, which pie is your favorite? Is it savory or sweet–pecan…apple…or another kind of fruit? While all of those are amazing, this girl will always choose custard if it’s available (but, sadly, custard is not often on the menu). In any event, whether you’re a math lover or a pastry aficionado, Pi Day in March is always a great excuse to indulge in whatever variety strikes your fancy. Grab a fork and dig in!