barbara@piesbybarbara.com        206-553-9065

Best in Show
Second Annual Pie vs. Cake Contest - Vermillion

October 12, 2011

This past Monday I participated in an evening of great fun: the second annual Cake Vs. Pie competition, the brainchild of Jenise Silva.  I had missed the first year of this in 2010, having found out about it too late to enter.  I made sure to get a slot this year, as I really wanted to see what other pies (and cakes) are out there and how mine compare.

I didn’t realize

how nervous I was about it until the night before when I had nightmares about forgetting how to make a piecrust!  On the day of the competition, we returned from a vacation early in the morning, and I set about making an Apple-Pear Pie.  I figured I’d go classic: double crust pie with a tried and true filling.  It is autumn, after all, and it made sense to highlight what is bountiful now. (for more, click on Barbara’s blog)

Second Place

West Seattle Farmer’s Market Pie vs. Cake Contest

October 23, 2011

I suppose I wanted to see if my win at Vermillion was a fluke, so I entered another pie into another contest.  This time it was Cake Vs. Pie sponsored by Edible Seattle.  Same premise, different crowd and different bakers.  What a spread!  It was a gorgeous day at the fabulous West Seattle farmer’s market, the perfect setting for the competition, and the judges were Jessie Oleson of CakeSpy, Jenise Silva of Seattlest, and Myra Kohn, columnist for Edible Seattle.

                                                               

In the end it was Pie again, not mine this time, but a beautiful crostata by Stephanie Patterson (above, far left).  My pie, a Cranberry Pear Crumble Pie, came in second.  The cakes were fabulous, as well, and we ate our fill that morning.  It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with a community of bakers, each sharing her passion and creativity at this event. Here’s my recipe: Cranberry-Pear Crumble Pie with Top Crust.pdf

Sunday, November 13th, I was one of the guest chefs

at the Capitol Hill farmer’s market doing a demonstration of making piecrust and assembling an apple-pear galette.  It was well-attended, especially considering how chilly it was that day!  My audience was very attentive, and they were rewarded with samples of the galettes we brought for tasting.  I am so grateful for the farmers markets in Seattle! Each has its own ambience and unique neighborhood feel, but they all share in common the mission of bringing local, organic produce and delicious food to the public.

 

That concept aligns beautifully with the notion of baking pies in a seasonal manner, highlighting what is bountiful and delicious right at the moment.

Find out what’s happening in your neighborhood on their website: www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org  

Wednesday, November 9th, I was a guest on the Table Talk radio show.  It is an hour of lively, food-related discussions co-hosted by Jamie Peha and Thierry Rautureau. 

They are on the air every other Wednesday on KKNW 1150 AM Seattle from 8 to 9 am.  What fun!  We spent my segment discussing the Cake vs. Pie contest experience and my pie-making/teaching journey.  There were pies to taste including the winning pie, Apple-Pear, and Bourbon Pecan in honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.  My hosts were gracious and very welcoming.  

You can hear the podcast at http://www.chatwithwomen.com/media.php?do=details&mid=389  My segment comes on in the second half of the show.

Monday, November 21,  on Weekday with Steve Scher on KUOW, the show was about How to Cook Thanksgiving.  Thierry Rautureau was one of the guests and gave a nod to Barbara.  He said, “...she makes the best pecan pie I have ever tasted...”  He even ordered one for his own Thanksgiving gathering!