Pie, pie, pie, and more pie – that’s what yesterday was all about.

As you’ll recall, this year we sponsored and judged our very own category at the Portland Pie-Off. The CPR pie category required that the pie include ingredients beginning with the letters C, P, and R. The prize? A free CPR class and this awesome t-shirt.

Of the 72 total pies entered into the Portland Pie-Off, a dozen were in our category – which means that Lise and I had pretty good sugar buzzes by the time it was all over!

After some very tough deliberation (so tough that we just had to take second bites…oh the burden!) we awarded the blue ribbon to the Coconut Pinapple Rum caramel Pie (baker, Dereth, pictured above).

Each and every pie was deliciously creative, though. Just look at these combos!

– Chocolate, Pecan, Raisin (3rd place)
– Pear, Rosewater, Cardamom
– Peach, Raspberry, Cardamom
– Creme fraiche, Peach, Raspberry
– Candied ginger, Peach, Rum raisin (2nd place)
– Creme fraiche, Peach, Rhubarb
– Canadian bacon, Potato, Ricotta (Being a vegetarian I didn’t taste it, but it smelled delicious. And carnivorous Lise said it was a very close runner up.)
– Cranberry, Pear, Rhubarb
– Chevre, Plum, Red wine
– Raspberry, Peach, Cherry
– Peach, Raspberry, Cream

We were honored and giddy to be part of such a purely joyful event. (You should have seen the grins on everyone walking around sampling pie.) Thank you to the Pie Commissioners for organizing it and to all the bakers who lent their creative talents to the subject of CPR.
We’re already thinking about next year – wondering if we could have an AED pie category… or possibly pies made with at least one disaster kit item (mmm… peanut butter!)…But for now I’m off to find a salad.