Oh for the love of pie, but the pie commission is on a pie hiatus and while we loved orchestrating the Pie Off for two years in a row, alas, not in 2011. We are very happy to see the love of all things pie continue with spin offs and replicas though, but please know any pie offs in 2011 are not done by us. Pie for the world!

If you would like to contact the Portland Pie Commission – please email us at pie@portlandpieoff.com

Pie is summer, pie is special, pie is simple, and pie has certainly become Portland.

But alas, there is no Portland Pie-Off 2010.

Never did we think when we first started the Pie-Off that it would be as successful as it was: 50 pies the first year, almost double that the second year, and plenty of pie-filled bellies and smiling faces. The entire front page of The Oregonian’s Food Day and live on TV at KGW? Yes, thank you! And since this time, pie has become so popular in Portland….some of our favorites are Pacific Pie Co., Pie Hole, Random Order, Whiffie’s and now Portland is even home to the founder of The World Needs More Pie. We knew we were onto something in 2008.

This summer, we hope you visit some of Portland’s wonderful celebrations of pie, or a farmer’s market or field and gather fruit for your own pie baking. Craft yourself a pie full of summer, gather your friends, and have a moment in one of Portland’s parks, in the sunshine. Smile with the ones you love, and share a piece of pie. There’s plenty to go around.

Piece to you. Pun intended.

My friend Jaynie, The Pie Queen of Austin, Texas, knows the answer to that question.

I came upon Ms. Buckingham’s pie wagon on South Congress on the very same day she was being photographed by Southern Living. Her buttermilk pie was selected as one of their top “Pies of the South” and for good reason: it’s sweet, and decadent, and all things southern. Visiting with the Pie Queen, she has a wealth of pie insight, and I’m so happy to share our chats with you.

Here we chat about why pie is so special…

Are you flummoxed by how to make pie crust? Do not fret. Many people are. Everytime I talk about pie with someone, the conundrum of pie crust comes up. Do not stress, my friend. The Pie Queen of Austin, Texas, has a solution for you.

I came upon Ms. Buckingham’s pie wagon on South Congress on the very same day she was being photographed by Southern Living. Her buttermilk pie was selected as one of their top “Pies of the South” and for good reason: it’s sweet, and decadent, and all things southern. Visiting with the Pie Queen, she has a wealth of pie insight, and I’m so happy to share our chats with you.

Here we chat about her secrets to making a great pie crust…

Update: The Portland Pie-Off 2010 has been canceled. Please see our most recent post for our pie send-off to you!

….

It’s been scheduled. Mark your calendars, dust off your pie pans, and start practicing your pie making skillz. The Portland Pie-Off 2010 has been scheduled for Sunday, August 1, 2010. More details, including timing and location, to come.

Whatever will you be bringing? Berry? Peach? Mash-up? Cream? Savory? Oh the options abound. But for now, make sure you have it in your calendar. The pie event of the year.

Wait, did someone say pie? mmmmpie.

That very important question, When do you bring cake, or when do you bring pie? is a question I recently posed to The Pie Queen of Austin, Texas. Ms. Jaynie Buckingham, purveyor of the Cutie Pie Wagon.

I came upon Ms. Buckingham’s pie wagon on South Congress on the very same day she was being photographed by Southern Living. Her buttermilk pie was selected as one of their top “Pies of the South” and for good reason: it’s sweet, and decadent, and all things southern. Visiting with the Pie Queen, she has a wealth of pie insight, and I’m so happy to share our chats with you.

Here, she answers the question of cake or pie?

This a guest post, by Robin Catesby

Before I talk about the specifics of pie, I need to make a confession: Our maiden voyage to the Portland Pie-Off almost didn’t happen. Up until the Thursday before Pie Day we weren’t certain. Indecision and scheduling snafus plagued us and even now I scratch my head and think how the hell did we pull that one off?

The Road to Pie started when I mentioned the Pie-Off to Dave sometime mid-summer. Although he’s worked as a pastry chef in the past, he doesn’t bake pies often and had no family recipes to rely on. My own family pie tradition consisted of a single cherry pie every year on July 14th, the day the cherries on our pie cherry tree reached ripe perfection. “Bastille Day Pie” Mom christened it, and I have a feeling I wouldn’t be able to duplicate the taste unless I could sneak into my childhood yard on an early morning Bastille Day raid.

We used our daily dog walks to brainstorm pie ideas and two things immediately became apparent:

1) Dave wanted to bake a savory pie because of his love of the savory pies at his favorite local pub, the Horse Brass.

2) We could not for the life of us agree on what sort of savory pie to bake.

Time was running out. A week into August we were still debating over the merits and pitfalls of a lemon caper lox quiche. Sure it might sound tasty, but could we afford the cost of all that smoked salmon for a test pie and a competition pie? Our tight budget said not a chance.

Lamb, on the other hand was slightly more affordable. “Lamb with Moroccan spices,” I urged Dave. He toasts, grinds, and blends spices for home-cooked meals quite frequently and his “Moroccan spice blend” is my favorite. Cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, oh how I love you.

We kept brainstorming: Currents and raisins and dates… imagine! Savory and sweet all at once. Oh, and pine nuts! Don’t forget pine nuts!

At long last, just five days before the Pie-Off, Dave made his test pie. Our schedule allowed us one shot at this before Sunday so we knew we had to get it close from the start. And, happily, it was pretty darned close. More spices… more dates, a tweak or two to the crust, another egg… that should do it, right? Well, we’d know on Sunday!

Meanwhile, Dave was in the middle of interviewing for a job. On the Thursday before Pie-Day, he received a call requesting his presence on Sunday morning. For a few moments we thought this was the end of our Pie-Off aspirations — that is, until Dave called back and found out he had not yet been given the job. No, the chef wanted him to cook a trial shift. Dave would be paid for that shift if he got the job and oh by the way, we’re going to be really vague about your pay rate.

The Pie-Off was back on! We scrambled to pick up last minute ingredients and planned out our tight schedule. Initial prep would take place Saturday afternoon because Sunday morning would be sleep deprivation hell. The one other thing we couldn’t give up that weekend was our usual Saturday night karaoke gig.

So, with four and a half hours’ sleep we were up and at it… and at it… and at it. Down to the wire. At 12:30pm with the pie still in the oven, I was desperately tweeting and checking Google Maps to make sure we could get to Peninsula Park on time. We arrived frazzled and exhausted and exceedingly grateful for the camping chairs we’d left in the back of the minivan.

Two hours of fretting and pretended relaxation later, Dave joined the other category winners in the Pie-Off circle of deliciousness. Fifteen minutes after that, his pie was reduced to crumbs. I snapped pictures of the frenzy, forgetting to make the rounds and taste the other winning entries. I did snag a smidge of the grand prize Cucumber Honeydew White Chocolate Icebox Pie and let me tell you, it was truly astonishingly delicious and Alison’s prize was well-deserved.

Later, we poked at each other and admired Dave’s Pie-Off ribbon with exhausted grins. Still later than that, a conversation with Gregg Abbott from Whiffies Fried Pies led us to this week’s excitement: Dave’s Moroccan Lambstravaganza, featured as a “signature pie” at Whiffies (till supplies run out – stop by and try one!).

I recently told Pie Commissioner LeAnn via Twitter, “Entering the pie-off was perhaps the best decision Dave & I made all summer,” and I mean it. It was touch and go, nerve-wracking, but ultimately pure joy. If anyone asks, I’ll say do it! Even if you don’t know what you’re baking till a week before the event, do it! Even if you’re half inspiration and half improvisation and a bundle of frets and doubts… do it! Bake a pie!

Hat tip to my brother for taking the photos in this slideshow. Thanks, Brother!!

Who is that woman with announcements and judge wrangling and clipboards? The one who uses her best “teacher’s voice” when kindly asking everyone to clear the area, calling the judges together, and telling people what to do?

That is Audrey, mother of Pie Commissioner Gretchen, and we are so grateful for her help with the Pie-Off. She worked hard, helping set up the tables before hand, quizzing us on process, and being “The Hammer” in getting things done.

No really. She’s so great, she sewed each of our Pie-Off judges their own Pie Cozy. In case you’re not familiar with a Pie Cozy, they’re to facilitate carrying of a pie from one place to another, especially a picnic or potluck. See? Here they are here:

Thank you, Audrey, for your wonderful help and commitment to the Pie-Off.

We couldn’t do it without you!

It most certainly is if you’re in the mood for Marionberry Pie and lucky for you, there’s a fantastic pie contest right around the corner at the Oregon State Fair.

What: 2nd Annual Finest Marionberry Pie in Oregon Contest
When: Friday, August 28th, 4pm
Where: Oregon State Fair, Jackman-Long Building

Looks like they’re giving prizes! And, they’re giving out audience prizes and a food demonstration during the contest itself.

The Portland Pie-Off had some pretty amazing berry entries: here’s a perfect chance to represent Pie-Off contestants!

Check it:
Finest Marion Berry Contest Flyer