Outsourcing the pies

[smithhemb]

Thanksgiving dinner for 20 at a friend's house. I'm tasked with providing dessert. Foreign visitors, so should include traditional pies (apple and pumpkin were both mentioned). I'm torn between baking and outsourcing. Outsourcing would win if I could find great pies. Little Red Fox's Apple is pretty good (although I'll admit I miss the warm ooze of pie juice on the crust that you get with homemade), but I haven't found a satisfactory pumpkin pie. Maybe my tastes are idiosyncratic -- the one I make has heavy cream mixed with the pumpkin purée, features cardamom, and has enough pecans on top to banish the thought of baby food.

Any advice re where to find something like this -- and/or any other great Thanksgiving pies? (While picking up an anniversary cake from Tout de Sweet, I saw he was making pumpkin tarts for the holidays. Anyone sampled those?)

[ktmoomau]

I wonder where Kate Jensen has ended up, her pies at Willow were really good, we got them for Thanksgiving two years ago.  My amish nanny makes a custard style pumpkin pie I really like, but Willow's while not being that style was really good.  I know Bakeshop sent out an email, I always really like their cake, but have never had their pie. There is Dangerously Delicious pies which I think would probably be stellar.  If you could at least get an apple pie, pumpkin is way easier to make in my book.  Trying to think of somewhere in the Bethesda area, but it's not really my home sphere. There is Pie sisters in Georgetown, which I haven't been to either. 

[dracisk]

Osteria Morini posted in their thread yesterday that they're selling housemade pies for Thanksgiving:

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ebtnk8axeaaf46c6&oseq&c&ch

I haven't had their pies, but I bet they're tasty.

[ktmoomau]

I just saw something on Twitter that Maketto is too.

[ktmoomau]

Pies to go:

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/bestbites/holiday-eats/where-to-find-the-best-thanksgiving-pies-to-go-washington-dc.php

[Bart]

Red Truck bakery (Marshall, VA and Warrenton, VA) has some great pies. They can even ship (some of) their stuff if you can't make the drive out there.

http://redtruckbakery.com/

[Tweaked]

New Morning Farms should be selling pies at their Saturday farmer's market at the Sheridan School (Upper NW DC, near Van Ness).  The usually have pumpkin, pecan and apple. 

[smithhemb]

Thanks all! In the end, it looks easier to just make 'em myself. Not enough time to sample. Although I might just bet on the Tiffany MacIsaac Pumpkin Chai!

[ol_ironstomach]

When I am become Galactic Emperor, I shall command the imperial forces to clone Elliott's (The Classics) family coconut cake as a retail bakery item, at least during the holidays.  And not because I don't love pies more than most cakes.

ol_ironstomach for Galactic Emperor.  100% Sith-free.

[Bob Wells]

Red Truck bakery (Marshall, VA and Warrenton, VA) has some great pies. They can even ship (some of) their stuff if you can't make the drive out there.

http://redtruckbakery.com/

We happened upon Red Truck in Marshall two weekends ago. Great bakery. We brought home a Shenandoah Apple Cake for T-giving. Want to try the apple pie, the almond cake, and the lemon-blueberry moonshine cake too.

[ktmoomau]

I posted this in the Thanksgiving thread but:

A friend brought a Happy Tart pumpkin pie and a Bayou Bakery pecan pie.  The pumpkin was absolutely spot on traditional, very good.  The Bayou Bakery pecan pie wasn't chocolate or bourbon or anything, but it really was a spectacular pecan pie the right balance of filling and nuts with lots of nuts, very good crust.  I also had an apple pear pie with a few cranberries and studel topping at the in-laws from the Smithsonian that was very good too, I loved the flavors, it wasn't tart from the cranberry, but almost a refreshing, crunchy, very fresh tasting pie, but still sweet enough to be a good pie.