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Monica Bhide

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I am just not an apple pie kind of gal. I have been asked to bring one for thanksgiving.. where can I find a good one?? Help!

(DONT anyone ask me to make it... unless you are offering to come and make it for me tongue.gif )

Thanks folks.

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[The following posts have been split into separate threads:

Mom's Apple Pie Company (RaisaB)

Dangerously Delicious Pies, Baltimore (MissCindy)

Dangerously Delicious Pies, DC (youngfood)

Shut Your Pie Hole (Drive-by Critic)

The Pie Gourmet (monavano)

Livin' The Pie Life (goodeats)]

Edited by DonRocks
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The Vermont Apple Pie Company sells their frozen, all butter crust apple pie at Whole Foods Market around the area and all you have to do it pop it in the oven for 45 minutes and BAM, homemade, yummy apple pie. It's very, very, very yummy!

Heck, do that and pass it off as your own. It's pretty reasonably priced and very tasty with some vanilla ice cream.

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I second the Mom's recommendation, particularly if you get the crumb-topped versions, and Potomac Vegetable Farms on Route 7 carries the pies (assuming they're still open this late in the year.) Otherwise, they've got locations on Van Buren St. in Herndon, and on Sterling Blvd off Route 28, where the pies are actually made.

Mom's is a good choice for sure. They also have a location in Leesburg, right across the street from Galetta's, which I still have to check out.

Also very good is Pie Gourmet in Vienna.

For something a little less homey but always welcome, Costco's caramel apple pie is gigantic and very good.

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I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my wife this year, and figured that I would spare myself the hassle of baking and order a pie. The best two pie companies I have found are: The James River Pie Company - http://www.jamesriverpie.com/ or Dangerous Pies - http://www.dangerouspies.com/

If anyone has tried either company and can offer feedback on preference, or suggest another route, I would be grateful.

Thank you.

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Many people know Mom's Apple Pie in Herndon. What many do not know is that Mom's has a special order "butter crust" apple pie that's about $20 which is the equal of any Rubanesque grandmother's that I've ever had.

Also, K-Paul's will ship you their sweet potato pecan pie by UPS.

http://shop.chefpaul.com/index.asp?PageAct...PROD&ProdID=152

Please note that the K-Paul's website notes that they are only up to partial capacity of what they were before the hurricane but they are able to fill most orders. K-Paul's itself has not yet reopened.

If anyone does order this IT IS SERVED OVER CHANTILLY WHIPPED CREAM IN THE RESTAURANT. This is the recipe for Chantilly Whipped Cream from Chef Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU MAKE THIS FROM SCRATCH AND SERVE A "POOL" OF IT UNDERNEATH THE SLICE OF PIE.

For 2 cups:

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp Courvoisier or brandy

1 tsp Grand Marnier

1/4 cup sugar

2 tblsp. sour cream

Refrigerate a medium size bowl and beaters until very cold. Combine cream, vanilla, brandy and Grand Marnier in the bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute. Add the sugar and sour cream and beat on medium just until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. DO NOT OVERBEAT.

Until K-Paul's introduced their fresh cracked coconut cake on special order this was their signature dessert.

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Tis the season, I'm having daily cravings for pumpkin (or sweet potato) pie. I don't think I can hold out til the weekend, when I'll have time to actually make one ... any recommendations of where I can buy a good one?

I confess to being rather fond of the pumpkin pie from Costco. I don't eat the crust though, I just scoop out the filling, add a little whipped cream and pretend it is a healthy breakfast.

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My husband loooooves blueberry pie and I want to get him one for his birthday in lieu of a cake. We live in the District so the closer the better. I would be willing to order one from Mom's if that is the consensus. Has anyone tried the pies from Heidelberg? Would love any recs.

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I need to find a good Key Lime Pie for delivery or pick-up in DC. I checked with Best Pie Company (which was one of the featured bakeries today in the WaPo --click ) They may do it as a special order at a later date, but I need it for Tuesday next week. Reeves is gone, and I plan to check with RTS to see if they can offer a suggestion. (I didn't check the VA bakeries, as I wouldn't have anyone to pick-up from those locations.)

Anyone have any other suggestions? TIA

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See if Landrum would sell you a whole pie? I'd be surprised if any of the bakeries do a better one.
Yes. he was on my list to call (see RTS) I called RTC earlier in the day, and he was not there yet. I left a message as recommended by the person who answered the phone, and she said she'd get back to me.

I just got off the phone with WF and they have one...I'm going to pick it up tonight and I'll report back on how it is. Has anyone else had anything from the WF bakeries?

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I need to find a good Key Lime Pie for delivery or pick-up in DC. I checked with Best Pie Company (which was one of the featured bakeries today in the WaPo --click ) They may do it as a special order at a later date, but I need it for Tuesday next week. Reeves is gone, and I plan to check with RTS to see if they can offer a suggestion. (I didn't check the VA bakeries, as I wouldn't have anyone to pick-up from those locations.)

Anyone have any other suggestions? TIA

Key lime pie is one of the easiest pies in the world to make. You could do it in about 20 minutes with a pre-made graham cracker crust or add about 15 minutes if you make the crumb crust yourself. Just buy a bottle of "key lime" juice (most large grocery stores carry it) and follow the recipe on the back. You just blend the lime juice with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, pour it into a prepared crumb crust and bake it for about 12-15 minutes. You can get fancy and add some grated lime zest, if you want. After it has cooled for a bit, squirt some Reddi-Whip rosettes on top. Voila!

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Key lime pie is one of the easiest pies in the world to make. You could do it in about 20 minutes with a pre-made graham cracker crust or add about 15 minutes if you make the crumb crust yourself. Just buy a bottle of "key lime" juice (most large grocery stores carry it) and follow the recipe on the back. You just blend the lime juice with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, pour it into a prepared crumb crust and bake it for about 12-15 minutes. You can get fancy and add some grated lime zest, if you want. After it has cooled for a bit, squirt some Reddi-Whip rosettes on top. Voila!

Speaking from experience, inveigh upon Porcupine for her award-winning key lime pie recipe and you'll be golden.

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Speaking from experience, inveigh upon Porcupine for her award-winning key lime pie recipe and you'll be golden.

Speaking from experience, as someone who grew up in South Florida, please skip the bottled key lime juice, and find yourself a source for key limes (NOT persian limes) ...

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We absolutely loved the rhubarb pie we got here

http://www.dangerouspies.com/about.html

It was tart and tangy -- none of this soupy, strawberry-y mess that you often get!

I also agree with everyone about Mom's Pies -- the sour cherry with the crumble crust is one of my greatest pleasures.

Thank you for this! My great aunt in Kentucky used to make rhubarb pie from rhubarb she picked on her farm. That's one of my best childhood memories and I've looked for years for a good pie, not the combo pies that are so common. I'll definitely try this one.

Someone asked about WF (Whole Foods?) bakeries. Occasionally we buy a WF criss-cross cherry pie. Very good, one of the best commercial pies I've had. And some of the juice pies from the Amish stores in Burtonsville and Germantown are hard to beat.

It is not likely that many will get a chance to try these, but there is a pair of bakeries in Georgetown/Litchfield, South Carolina--Kudzu Bakery--that makes the best pies I've eaten anywhere. If you are ever in the South Carolina Low Country, do not miss these, especially for the pecan pie, which may be the best pie I've ever tasted.

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Speaking from experience, inveigh upon Porcupine for her award-winning key lime pie recipe and you'll be golden.

Why, thank you! I'll post the recipe later today when I have more time.

Speaking from experience, as someone who grew up in South Florida, please skip the bottled key lime juice, and find yourself a source for key limes (NOT persian limes) ...

Speaking as someone who's been known to go crazy looking for authentic ingredients*, don't bother. It's been a few years since I tried, but finding decent quality Key limes in the greater DC area will be a wild goose chase. If you do find them, often in a one or two pound bag, you'll then have to go about squeezing the little buggers for a teaspoon of juice each - if you're lucky - and then you'll find that some of the juice is too tart, or sour, and half the limes are rotten and most of the others aren't ripe enough yet, and you'll end up spending something like twenty bucks for a half-cup of iffy-quality juice.

I'm not sayin' it isn't worth it if you can get good Key limes - I'm sayin' good luck gettin' 'em. Of course, there's the internets to help you...

*ask Mr P about the time 18 years ago when I dragged him through multiple tiny grocery stores in Adams Morgan looking for palm oil

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Key lime pie is one of the easiest pies in the world to make. You could do it in about 20 minutes with a pre-made graham cracker crust or add about 15 minutes if you make the crumb crust yourself. Just buy a bottle of "key lime" juice (most large grocery stores carry it) and follow the recipe on the back. You just blend the lime juice with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, pour it into a prepared crumb crust and bake it for about 12-15 minutes. You can get fancy and add some grated lime zest, if you want. After it has cooled for a bit, squirt some Reddi-Whip rosettes on top. Voila!

I have to testify, following zoramargolis' suggestion yesterday afternoon, I made a perfectly good pie for the first time in my life and I could have done it blindfolded. Thanks for the heads up!

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I have to testify, following zoramargolis' suggestion yesterday afternoon, I made a perfectly good pie for the first time in my life and I could have done it blindfolded. Thanks for the heads up!

You're welcome and congratulations! You can make it with lemon juice and lemon zest, too. Next, you can get a pre-made frozen pie crust and make an open-faced apple pie -- easy-peasy style has a crumb topping, which you can make with softened butter, brown sugar, a little bit of flour, cinnamon and granola. Or get the refrigerated packaged crust that's located with the tubes of biscuits and make a double crust pie. Just toss slices of peeled apples with a little lemon juice, sugar, flour or corn starch, cinnamon and a few small chunks of butter. And don't forget to cut a few slits in the top crust to let the steam out. Or just use one of the dough circles, pile the prepared apples in the center, and fold the edges of the crust up around the sides of the apples to make a simple rustic tart.

Pretty soon, you'll be making pie crust from scratch. =;-D

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The best pies in the area are the ones at the Galesville Market in Galesville, MD. However, I was just told that the market closed but the pies are now for sale at the liquor store 3 doors down towards the water. If you're ever out that way (it's a great place for biking), these pies are are unbelievable.

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Sorry for the delayed follow-up...

The WF key lime pie was not bad, and did fine in a pinch. The office loved it. I, however, thought it needed more tartness and the whipped cream suffered from "refrigerator" taste.

I ran out of time to get a pie from RTC..althought the offer was enticing. Since they are not open on Sunday or Monday, and I needed the pie for Tuesday, I was unable to work out the logistics to get the pie in time. I had an Edison moment, however, and went to the Burtonsville Amish Market on Saturday. Now we're talking some good pies!

The Key Lime and Pecan Pies I purchased, both from Pellman Bakery, were fantastic. The office consensus was while the WF pie was good, this one was far better. The Peach Pie was also said to be good, but did not go over as well as the other two. I can't recall the name of that specific bakery)

Website for Pellman foods--interestingly the peach pie was a local bakery, yet did not fare as well as the pies from Pellman.

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Also very good is Pie Gourmet in Vienna.
I need to find a good Key Lime Pie for delivery or pick-up in DC. Anyone have any other suggestions? TIA
I know I'm cutting & pasting, so apologies in advance, but I just stopped by the Pie Gourmet at 507 Maple Ave. and really enjoyed their Key Lime Pie and Apple-Peach pie (more second than first). Unfortunately, the two pies, one small ($17.95) and one large 10" ($23.95), set me back around $44 with tax. The Key Lime flavor was pretty alright - not too tart as some can be, but was a bit too condensed?, if that's an appropriate word. I like the Apple-Peach, as it as a crumble topping, with chopped nuts in the crumble for a good texture, and freshly chopped fruit. They baked the fruit without cooking it down first, giving it a good crisp/hearty chew. Pretty good for an, um, o-c-c-asional splurge.
On the subject of shortcut pie crust; Trader Joe's has frozen pie crust that is as close to homemade as I've ever tasted. All my pies this summer were made with this product and all were excellent!
I agree with rkduggins comment, but you'll also pay for it being close to homemade. I believe it was $4-something for two crusts, which is still cheaper in the end than the average $15.99 that WF charges for a two-crusted 9-in pie. Still worth it, but I guess I'm the only one a bit surprised by the price when I first needed to buy it...
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I agree with rkduggins comment, but you'll also pay for it being close to homemade. I believe it was $4-something for two crusts, which is still cheaper in the end than the average $15.99 that WF charges for a two-crusted 9-in pie. Still worth it, but I guess I'm the only one a bit surprised by the price when I first needed to buy it...
re Trader Joe's frozen pie crusts--none of the stores I have been in for the past six weeks, at least, have had any of them. I have been variously told that they have been sold out since the holidays, and that they are expecting a shipment but don't know when. It is an impressive product, and Rachel and I are obviously not the only ones who noticed. By the way, they are made 100% with butter. $3.99 $4 something for a double crust is extremely reasonable, and I suspect that when it does come back (soon, please!), the price will be higher. You may be comparing the price to a more industrial mass-produced frozen product made with cheaper hydrogenated vegetable fat, which seems reasonable to you. You can't always compare Trader Joe's prices to what you find in a major supermarket, though they often beat the price on staples. Think Whole Foods' prices, and then you will see more bargains.
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It is an impressive product, and Rachel and I are obviously not the only ones who noticed. By the way, they are made 100% with butter. $3.99 for a double crust is extremely reasonable...You may be comparing the price to a more industrial mass-produced frozen product made with cheaper hydrogenated vegetable fat, which seems reasonable to you. You can't always compare Trader Joe's prices to what you find in a major supermarket, though they often beat the price on staples. Think Whole Foods' prices, and then you will see more bargains.
Well, it was $4.37 or $4.50 last time I bought it (at least 3mos pre-holidays), and yes, I realize it was made with butter, which is WAY more attractive (and came out quite tasty too!). I mean, after all, I bought it, used it and love it. And I do realize it was a bargain, but just seeing the price at first glance was - WHOA! (to quote Joey Lawrence). In comparison, 2 weeks after that, I bought HT hydrogenated crap for $1.39 and couldn't eat most of the pie for that blech aftertaste. So, definitely, it's worth it, but for that WHOA-initial reaction. Incidentally, it's the same reaction I get when I see the price for the ice cream mochis there, but of course, that price is somewhat cheaper than some the Asian markets around here too. I guess it's just me.
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Dangerously Delicious Pies (Baltimore-based, on H Street, NE) has deep 10-inch pies in the same price range as Pie Sisters. They're slightly cheaper but I'm sure the storefront footage has to be cheaper on H Street than in Georgetown. They don't have the pie plate deposit either. (The size of the pies is mentioned in some obscure place, like maybe the catering link).
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