Heather Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I like pie better than cake. Every year I have a birthday pie rather than cake. Some years I have been lucky enough to have my friend Tom bake it for me; he makes the best pie on Earth (PM me with your address and I will send you his three pages of instructions). Agent Dale Cooper loves pie, with a damn good cup of coffee. The eGullet thread devoted to the pie vs. cake issue is a fave. Then there's Weebl. Cherry pie, peach pie, lemon custard meringue, chess pie, pecan pie...open top, double crust, sugared lattice topped (sigh)...all of them contribute to the betterment of mankind. Cake, not so much. And that's not even getting into the savory side...steak & kidney, chicken pot pie, quiche, etc. I'd love to hear how Rockweilers stand on this important issue, and whether anyone has any good recipe to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 No brainer. Pie IS better than cake. My stepmother made a kickass blueberry pie this past weekend. Cake is for sissies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbear Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Mincemeat pie. Ooooooooh. Damn. Now, that's all I'll be thinking about for the next 4 or 5 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted July 7, 2008 Author Share Posted July 7, 2008 Cake is for sissies. Hell yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol_ironstomach Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Cakes are lovely. But pies are exalted! Fruit pies, custard pies, meat pies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 The fact that you need a thread to discuss that pie might be better than cake only illustrates the innate superiority of cake as the standard by which all pies are measured, and inevitably come up short. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 The fact that you need a thread to discuss that pie might be better than cake only illustrates the innate superiority of cake as the standard by which all pies are measured, and inevitably come up short. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Cake. Did the main character in American Pie use a cake? Did Don Mclean sing "bye bye miss american cake"? Did Marie Antoinette say "let 'em eat pie"? I rest my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbear Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 The fact that you need a thread to discuss that pie might be better than cake only illustrates the innate superiority of cake as the standard by which all pies are measured, and inevitably come up short. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Cake. You are wrong. Felix Unger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Cakes are lovely. But pies are exalted! Fruit pies, custard pies, meat pies...Indeed. It's much harder to make a cake out of meat, and there are very few things that meat does not make better. Ergo, pie > cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 = = = Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crescent City Clown Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Oh boy. Here we go again.... You know, I spend alot of time in our Nation's Capital and I was beginning to believe that all of the press about the insular, backwards misfits living inside of the Beltway was just press driven glop. Now this silly subject comes up on a board that is, otherwise, seemingly filled with intelligent, opinionated people. Don't waste your bandwidth, just shut your pie holes because: A good cake is better than a good pie. Everytime. Sheesh, whaddabunchayahoos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted July 7, 2008 Author Share Posted July 7, 2008 I am well aware of your opinions on this matter, and your input will be taken into consideration. Perhaps a congressional hearing is in order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Cake is analogous to the boob grope over a wool sweater. A truly great cake, at best, is like that same grope under the sweater but still over the bra. A great pie, on the other hand, is akin to that moment about ten minutes later when buttons and belts are no longer useful, and the real heavy breathing begins. There, I said it as tactfully as I could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crescent City Clown Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I am well aware of your opinions on this matter, and your input will be taken into consideration. Perhaps a congressional hearing is in order? Well, it just so happens that A and I own a house, from which I am battling this titanic wrong, that is within sight of a congressman's house who has some room for test cakes in his icebox. Perhaps I will speak to him about hearings. I'm sure that his price has dropped. I saw him cutting his own grass this weekend. He looks like he has some time on his hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crescent City Clown Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Cake is analogous to the boob grope over a wool sweater.There, I said it as tactfully as I could. I like really nice, hand knitted wool sweaters. Tactile entertainment at it's finest. It's a marathon, not a sprint, with us cake eaters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted July 7, 2008 Author Share Posted July 7, 2008 Well, it just so happens that A and I own a house, from which I am battling this titanic wrong, that is within sight of a congressman's house who has some room for test cakes in his icebox. Perhaps I will speak to him about hearings. I'm sure that his price has dropped. I saw him cutting his own grass this weekend. He looks like he has some time on his hands.I hear he likes icebox cake. <rimshot> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I prefer tarts to cake or pie. Though some might argue is gussied-up pie. But I prefer the crust-style of tarts, plus cooked fruit - ICK. With a tart you can skip over the ten minutes and get straight to the chase, with some red heels thrown-in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbear Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 mmmmmmmm..... Warm apple pie with sharp cheddar cheese. Vanilla ice-cream goes-with also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crescent City Clown Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 mmmmmmmm..... Warm apple pie with sharp cheddar cheese. Vanilla ice-cream goes-with also. Just my point. Thanks. With pie, there seems to be a constant need for additives that will serve to improve an otherwise dull and uninteresting dessert. With cake, you just need a delicious piece of cake. You're all set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 With pie, there seems to be a constant need for additives that will serve to improve an otherwise dull and uninteresting dessert. Exactly. Cake stands alone as the pinnacle of pastry perfection. I foresee a caramel cake in my future. Better go find that bag of While Lily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Why do I have to choose one or the other? I like 'em both, if they are really good. But that goes without saying. Bad pie and bad cake are equally bad. I wonder if Rose Levy Barenbaum has a preference. She has written a bible for each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Why do I have to choose one or the other? Because if you don't choose, you don't get to argue. And arguing is almost as much fun as eating cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Bad pie is much. much worse than bad cake. There is almost always something decent in even the worst cake. Bad pie just sucks out loud... That said, I personally bake pies, not cakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffC Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Pie, hands down. When I was a kid growing up in Kentucky, my aunt made rhubarb pie with fresh rhubarb picked on her farm. No wimpy strawberries to dilute the sour goodness of the real thing. (I've never understood strawberry/rhubarb pie. It's like putting coke in a great single malt.) But now my favorite is cherry pie, followed closely by apple and peach....except for the pecan pie baked by Kudzu Bakery in Georgetown, SC. That is the greatest pie I've ever tasted. Question: Does cobbler qualify as pie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xochitl10 Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 I wonder if Rose Levy Barenbaum has a preference. She has written a bible for each.IIRC, she admits in the intro to "The Pie and Pastry Bible" that although she is famous for and loves cakes, her heart really lies with pie.As for me, I love making cakes. I'm better at making cakes than pies. I love decorating cakes, even though I suck at it. But if I'm really honest with myself, I think I actually like eating pie more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbear Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 ..... I love decorating cakes, ..... That's right. Pies don't need no stinkin' decoratin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Bad pie is much. much worse than bad cake. There is almost always something decent in even the worst cake. Bad pie just sucks out loud...I don't know, bad syrupy (or even cough syrupy!), old fruit or gross-crust vs. bad gooky-I'm-going-to-gag-on-this-frosting or really dried-out-several-days-old-tasting cake (which I've had on both pie & cake fronts before) is kinda equal in my book... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 As for me, I love making cakes. I'm better at making cakes than pies. I love decorating cakes, even though I suck at it. But if I'm really honest with myself, I think I actually like eating pie more.This applies to me too. All of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 From Todd K.'s chat today in response to a chatter requesting where to find lemon meringue pie (which I adore): "Evidently, a lot of pastry chefs seem to have concluded that you're not going to win a lot of awards and attract a lot of press by making such pedestrian things as cake and pie. " Really? Is it all about attention? What about good old comfort classics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Here's an interesting addition to the cake vs. pie discussion--"wacky" cake: http://www.latimes.com/features/food/fooda...0,3215140.story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandynva Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Bad pie is much. much worse than bad cake. There is almost always something decent in even the worst cake. Bad pie just sucks out loud... I dunno. pies always have crust at least, and even bad crust is ok. However, some cakes don't even have decent frosting--I've had some supermarket type cakes at office b-day parties where the usual sweetened shortening icing had a gross oily off-taste to it. ick. as far as preferences go, i have to separate the fruit pies and the non fruit pies, as a good french silk pie trumps almost any cake, in my opinion. that being said, now i really want a good french silk or black bottom pie. does anyone know where i can get one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crescent City Clown Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 That's it. I'm done. Unless they provide equal time to cake, I am finished with the Food Section in the WAPO. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8071502643.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted July 16, 2008 Author Share Posted July 16, 2008 Hee hee! I almost posted that this morning, but didn't want to rub it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsdc Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 That's it. I'm done. Unless they provide equal time to cake, I am finished with the Food Section in the WAPO.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8071502643.html Don't forget tho' that Rose Levy Beranbaum is also the author of The Cake Bible...Maybe you should write-in to Chef on Call and ask for equal time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saf Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Don't forget tho' that Rose Levy Berenbaum is also the author of The Cake Bible...Maybe you should write-in to Chef on Call and ask for equal time! She is also currently writing another book, which I think will be a cake book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 From Todd K.'s chat today in response to a chatter requesting where to find lemon meringue pie (which I adore): "Evidently, a lot of pastry chefs seem to have concluded that you're not going to win a lot of awards and attract a lot of press by making such pedestrian things as cake and pie. " Really? Is it all about attention? What about good old comfort classics? In the current print issue of Washingtonian Kliman has a hilarious memo to pastry chefs, the gist of which is "quit f***ing around with pie." I wasn't able to find it on line. Pie-loving restaurant-goers, check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saf Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I wasn't able to find it on line. http://www.washingto...ites/22872.html It is now online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 http://www.washingto...ites/22872.html It is now online. This made me happy. And now I need pie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Outstanding. I love this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Thanks, saf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol_ironstomach Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 This thread makes me sad that right now, there's no place I can go for one of Gillian Clark's pies. No. Place. Seriously, I miss it even more than the fried chicken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 In the current print issue of Washingtonian Kliman has a hilarious memo to pastry chefs, the gist of which is "quit f***ing around with pie." I wasn't able to find it on line. Pie-loving restaurant-goers, check it out. Anyone getting a PhD in Clinical Psychology and needing a dissertation topic could have a field day with this one: I come away thinking dessert is more about you, the pastry chef, and your needs than about me and mine. More about satisfying your ego and less about satisfying my sweet tooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 I'm not sure, Don. That's exactly the way I feel about most restaurant food these days. It's heavy on the cleverness, light on the deliciousness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 You know, Don, for a year I've been trying to find a way to quantify what I do and don't like about dining out these days. I thought the problem was fine dining, but that ain't quite it. Kliman and Heather got it right. So often there's a "wow! look what neat/innovative/creative stuff I can do to this food!" sensibility coming from the kitchen. Maybe it's just how I'm aging but what impresses me the most is excellent technique with stellar ingredients and a touch of inspiration (Trabocchi, Ruta). Or to put it another way, mostly I just want a piece of really good pie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolatechipkt Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I like pie, but I keep running into a lot of people who don't ... so I make it less. Did y'all see the article about 20 people and 19 pies that was in Slate around Thanksgiving? Using that as an excuse I made seven desserts--four pies, one tart, and two cakes--for T-giving dessert. We only had 21 people lol, but it's possible I went overboard. Maybe next year I'll only make five ... maybe. http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2011/11/_20_guests_19_pies_my_mother_s_demented_glorious_thanksgiving_baking_extravaganza_.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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