Epictetus is a good pie and coffee companion.

One of the happiest people back in the "not always so good old days" Roman Empire was a Greek slave with a permanent physical disability. His name was Epictetus and you can still read his "manual" called  Enchiridion if you like. It costs 60 cents on Amazon.

Epictetus

What was his secret?  He knew what was worth focusing on and what was not. And he didn't waste much time focusing on what he could not control.

He  was a bright dude. He knew control freaks aren't happy.  He knew worriers were not happy. He knew that just about everything in life is out of our control. Humbling to think, but other than what we think and judge, the world really just keeps spinning without us. We do not control our health, bank account, job, family, friends, car, house, cat, or water pipe in the basement. We only control what we think about the situation.

“Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.”

Try this with your next slice: Equal Exchange Organic African Roots Coffee

If you are looking for a good cup of coffee to pair with a fruit pie, I am a big fan of Equal Exchange's Organic African Roots.  Equal Exchange is my favorite fair trade organization. It has over 30 years of success fighting the cause for an independent food system that works for farmers, consumers and independent business. This light roast is great anytime, but I especially like it with desserts. It is magical with berry pies. Sourced from Ethiopia and the Congo, it has its own blackberry under-note. Good for it!  Here's is the link to buy


Organic African Roots Coffee

Thanksgiving 2019: UnoccuPIEd. Tales from the Pie Side of Hell

Oh the humanity...Thanksgiving 2019 will be the year of Pie Regret.  I have not been this heart-broken since the 1st grade, when the little girl with pigtails down the street moved to Minnesota. This year's family get together (an overall incredible affair, kudos to my sister and brother-in-law) was to be resplendent with a pumpkin pie, a chocolate cream pie, an apple pie and a bumble berry (mixed berry) pie. The pie delivery was to be handled by 3 people.  This was going to the finishing touch on a wonderful occasion, a planned menagerie of pie loveliness on this pie-holy day. How did it go?  Pie Regret. We played the whole game down two skaters in the penalty box - the apple pie and the bumble berry pie never made it into the game.

Sorrow #1:  The Missing Apple Pie

One unnamed family member said he was going to make a killer apple pie.  It would be, he noted, the 3rd extraordinary apple pie he baked this November.  He sent a picture of what I could expect.

Instead, this is what I got.

What happened?  I didn't get an apple pie, that is what happened. There was a "blender/food processor" issue which brought this bold idea to an unfortunate conclusion. 

Sorrow #2.  The Missing Bumble Berry Pie

Another unnamed family member had promised to deliver this piece of pie heaven to Thanksgiving. The mixed berry pie.  I love it. 

 

What did I get?

What happened here?  Another sad tale of "I forget the pie at home. I left it in the refrigerator." 

Moment of Gratitude

Thankfully, the pumpkin pie was tasty and the chocolate cream pie was a crowd pleaser. My gratitude to my sister-in-law for saving the 2019 Pie Festivities. She alone kept the day from turning into a pie-less Thanksgiving. Along with some coffee, we were able to keep the pie, coffee and conversation tradition alive.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Now onto the December holidays! 

 

The goddess of Thanksgiving Leftovers. The Turkey Pot Pie.

Turkey Pot Pie and I.  We love each other.  In that special way.
It makes sad to see TPP not get its due. The only time I remember Turkey Pot Pie appearing in anything pop cultural was in the movie Breakfast Club, during John Bender/Judd Nelson's soliloquy on family upbringing ("...fix me a turkey pot pie." Look it up.)   Hardly a tribute. I just do not get it. Turkey Pot Pie should be everywhere.  It is that good.

Below are some Turkey Pot Pie recipes. So easy even a schmuck like me can make it.
Happy Day After Thanksgiving!

Turkey Pot Pie Video

Damn Delicious

Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Buckle up Millennial. The Pie Ride is closer than you think.

Cake is a natural with kids. It is sweet bread with even sweeter frosting.  It is cheap to make. You can load it with sugar, design it like a coloring book, even write your name on it.  It holds candles like a champ, so you get that Pavlovian thing (cake = birthday = presents).  We are all the product of rampant childhood Cake Fantasy.

Pie-love is a longer burn. A grown-up endeavor. You need to slow down a bit on the Skittles. Your taste buds start to ease up on 24X7 desire for pixie sticks. You start to change. You admire the crust factor of good pie.  You start to engage more with the meat pies (By the way, how was that last Chicken Cake?  Thought so).

Pie and Adulting go hand and hand.

I maintain 40 is the coming of age for pie-lovers.  That’s when the you start to see the shift.  Have some fun at your next family get together and ask people if they prefer cake or pie.  Compare the results to the ages.  Odds are you will see the correlation between pre-40 (cake) and post-40 (pie).

I believe the Millennial Generation will be approaching Pie-Age soon.  I look forward to the changes coming from them. I hope for increased pie blog coverage and new, unique and thrifty pie experiences. The pie world will never be the same. Welcome! 

#PieandCoffeeMovement - Looking for a Conversation Starter?

Pie and Coffee means ubiquity.  You can and will enjoy it alone.  Smiling at your kitchen table, sitting in your car @ some random suburban parking lot (no judging). A zen moment.

But Pie and Coffee can be much more. It is gift from our ancestors to connect with other people in person. When your mouth is filled with pie, you need to stop and chew...and listen. You literally have to shut your pie hole.  Add the warm feel of some of your favorite coffee and you are conversing. No mobile phones, social media or silly pie blogs.  Just people being people.

And doing pie and coffee is easy!  All you need is pie and...well, coffee.

Maybe some of you are looking for #pieandcoffeemovement conversation topics?  Courtesy of my friend Ethan, here is one to ponder.

What is the best song with the word 'pie" in the title? 

Don McLean's American Pie?

Custard Pie by Led Zeppelin?

Apple Pie a la Mode by Destiny's Child?  (Pander Alert: I threw that one in for the Millennials. I have long submitted that pie-lovers do not peak in their pie-loving years until they hit 40 years.  Maybe that is why this list trends to the older side?  OK Boomer.) 

There are a lot of them. Personal favorite?  John Fogerty's Rhubarb Pie. Because rhubarb is the unspoken sidekick to many a great fruit pie. 

Rhubarb Pie

An alternative is Black Coffee from Humble Pie.  It is a good cover of an Ike and Tina Turner song. 

Black Coffee by Humble Pie

Pie and Coffee Movement Spotlight: I Like Pie Bake Shop (Claremont, CA)

Listen Up. California Pie is Special.
OK, agreed, it is a big, populous state, ranging from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest. Of course it has size advantage (and size matters).  And it grows everything under the sun, so the breadth and freshness of the fruit is top-shelf.  But beyond the obvious,  I proclaim California Baking Magic that is unique to The Land of Milk and Honey.  People break rules, people strive, they reinvent.  As an American Northeasterner, I won't say I enjoy everything about California, but I will sing this song loud. I have had some of the best pie in my life in the Eureka State. Over and over again.  And here is one of my all time favorites (regardless of the global location).

I LIKE PIE Bake Shop in Claremont.   (http://www.ilikepiebakeshop.com/)

Claremont is about 30 miles from LA. It is one of those really expensive "Top Ten Best Places to Live" college towns. I LIKE PIE is a full range provider - sweet, savory, mini pies, hand pies and full pies.  I have had the honor of eating there a number of times, Every time my expectations get higher and every time they are exceeded.  When does that happen in life?

The menu rotates with the season. You need to be flexible.  Favorite Experiences:
The Butternut Squash Hand Pie (walk and eat without shame).
Cherry Mini Pie (below - as you can see, I am in a trance).
The Salted Caramel Banana Mini Pie (I felt the need to confess my sin after that bout of gluttony).

Pie and Coffee Movement Spotlight: Pastiche Fine Desserts (Providence RI)

Autumn weekends in New England. Pie Season.

Pastiche "you so Fine I can't keep my hands off you" Deserts is a local favorite, located on Spruce St in the Federal Hill section of Providence. Near Caserta Pizzeria, which is another kind of fine pie dining.  And coincidentally, only a couple hundred yards away from where I got nailed by a hit-and-run car on my bike one October evening in 1986.  Not to elicit sympathy 33 years later, but you know...I'll take it.

Pastiche Fine Deserts has what people call "old world charm" which is what they say when they really don't know how to describe it. Think of the average chain store... and then completely reorient yourself by thinking the exact opposite. Busy, crowded, electric and dripping with people who are there for the goods. Pastiche labels themselves a "cozy, lively European-style nook serving house-made fruit tarts, cakes, chocolates & pastries."  I'll buy that. Better than old world charm.

Amongst all that old-world charm, I suspect you can’t get away with crappy delivery. Maybe you can coast for a while on ambiance, but these customers are here for something special. You need to uphold that type of expectation. Phonies die an ugly death. Pastiche delivers.

I sampled the Dutch Apple Pie. It was fresh, generous with an excellent crust structure. A thoroughly enjoyable pie. They also offered Key Lime and Southern Pecan Pie, as well as a Cranberry/Raspberry Tart (by the way, why does Raspberry have a “P” in it?) and a Pumpkin/Praline Tart.   

Pie and Coffee Movement Spotlight: Hubbard Avenue Diner and Bakery (Middleton WI)

I knew a guy, a co-worker from my AT&T days, who practiced a Dessert Diet.  When he wanted to lose weight, he only ate pie and cake. You would be at lunch with him and he would start with a slice of  Banana Coconut Cream pie. Usually that was it, but if he was especially hungry he'd get a slice of Lemon Meringue. Nothing else except black coffee.  He may be dead by now, but I remember him losing a fair amount of weight. And he was always the happiest person in the group.

Today's "Fresh out of the Oven" shout out goes to Hubbard Avenue Diner and Bakery.  Oh mama!  Sweet Christmas.  This place is located in America's heartland, just outside of Wisconsin's state capital and crazy fun college town Madison.  Hubbard's is a restaurant, so you can get breakfast foods, sandwiches and the like, but what we are here to discuss are the pies.  This place is a must-go destination on America's Pie Trail.

Hubbard's, how do I love thee, let me list the ways:

• First of all, quantity. The selection of pies is over the top big, in a Midwest type of way. Check this out. https://hubbardavenuediner.com/menus/?menu=All+Pies.
• Convenience: They have little personal pies that look like tacos.  They are easy to hold and easier to eat.
• Quality:  Straight from Aunt Becky's windowsill. Wholesome and fresh. Baked daily on the premise by master pie artists. 

I sampled two pies on my last visit - the cherry and the caramel apple. The cherry pie was top tier - approachable construction, light crust, seriously generous heap of fresh cherries. The caramel apple was even better.

Ned Stark's Favorite Condiment

Beats me why American's aren't into meat pies.  Okay. I know sometimes they can seem a bit disgusting but really...when has that ever deterred a raging appetite?  Maybe it is a suppressed childhood trauma from those 1960's frozen chicken pot pies ("come on in kids, the Morton's Pot Pie is ready. Get it while the gravy is still oozing!)  The Brits and Australians love meat pies. They have so much variety. There was a recently shuttered Australian pie shop in New York (Tuck Shop) that opened my eyes to the magical array of possibilities with little meat pies.  Guinness Steak and Mushroom,  Thai Chicken Curry, Pulled Pork with Cole Slaw, even Mac N' Cheese. 

Not all meat pies are good. Don't let that deter you. My friend Dave turned me onto the perfect anecdote. Henderson's Relish.  Hendo's is the pride of Sheffield, a Yorkshire condiment like its Worcestershire cousin. Only better. Henderson Relish goes perfectly with a beef or lamb pie. Drip it into your Shepherd's Pie. Douse those mashed potatoes.  It is a party waiting to happen. Hendo's makes all meat pies delicious. Famous citizens of Sheffield UK actively endorse Henderson's Relish. The band Arctic Monkeys, Rick Savage from Def Leppard and the actor Sean Bean (of Game of Thrones note, among others). If English celebs like it, it must be good.

Henderson's can be ordered and delivered to the USA via the Internet Machine. If you are lucky, you  can even get a bottle of Henderson in the colors of the local football clubs (I have Sheffield United's Red and White.). Cheers!

Take me out to the ballgame and don't forget to bring that dessert cart.

These are tough times if you are Chicago White Sox baseball fan. The team has been losing a lot over the past 6 or 7 years.  Their national reputation pales next to their cross-town rival the Cubs. And for 2020?  I'm not bullish the record will improve much either sports fans. Bumpy times on the South Side will probably continue.

But in the midst of all that losing, there is some serious winning.  A silver lining. If you are lucky enough to have your company or a vendor or a really rich friend take you to the luxury suites at the White Sox ballpark Guaranteed Rate Park, there is a magical creature that appears during the game right outside your door.  The Suite Sweets Cart, a desert cart of immense standards.  Pies. Cakes. Brownies. Ice cream and sauces.  A famed Chicago carrot cake. All there for your pleasure.

I had the opportunity to indulge. The Summer of Ballpark Pie Love.  Strawberry Pie straight from the angel's buffet table in strawberry heaven. I know about City Pie and Country Pie (more on that another time) - but Ballpark Pie?  Yet another reason to love baseball.

Really. I was born on Pi Day. March 14th.

I love how the pie and coffee experience slows down the pace of life. It is a great chance to disconnect from technology Of course, what am I doing now? I'm asking you to follow me on Twitter. Yup, lame. But how else do I get the word out?

Here is my Twitter Handle - Pi Man from Birth@markpjacobs1.

Support the "slow down and reconnect like humans over dessert and coffee" concept at #pieandcoffeemovement. I think that is how Twitter works.  I will ask one of my kids.

Enjoy the pie-loving weekend! I am back to enjoying me Saturday morning coffee from my Luke Cage mug (compliments of my friend Steve).  Coffee goes great with fictional superheroes. Luke is one of the best!

Join the Pie and Coffee Movement.

I travel a lot across North America and Europe. Like so many of us, I spend a lot of my life on computers, tablets and mobile phones.  Tethered to business and personal life with emails, texts, social media and yes, still sometimes phone calls, I am often challenged to remain in the present and connect with my surroundings.  I think that contributes to why I like sitting down with a slice of pie and a cup of coffee and to talk to someone.  You have to connect with another human face to face. You have to listen, understand and feel. You can not disappear into the cloud.

And pie is really tasty too. Don't forget that part.

So join the Pie and Coffee Movement!  Sit down with someone and share a story over a slice of Key Lime pie. .You just might be surprised what you find out.

When is it okay to cheat? Evidently today.

I am not a pie purist.  Yes, I have strong feelings.  I prefer pie to other desserts. And I admit I can be obnoxious about my pie-eating experience.  But a purist?  No.

Today, I bought a pie and it turned out to be a cake. Despite clear labeling that says "Maple Walnut Cake" I still thought it was a pie. Why? Because it looks like a pie (exhibit A below).  Ignore the label and trust your pie perception? Not a recipe for success. I deserved my fate. Amor Fati.

Life though spun a curve ball and the fates were kind to me. Cheating on my Faithful Pie Love with this Nutty Little Cake turned out to be a thrill! The Maple Walnut Cake (June Love's English Bakery, Middletown RI) was amazing. Like a French farce (or in this case, English) I ended up with the cake by mistake when I thought I was with the pie. And it turned out yummy.

Gregg's Apple Pie. Fidus Achates.

Apple pie is American Pie Royalty.  There are sexier candidates, more hip and complicated. Pumpkin owns Thanksgiving. Each and every region has their specialty pie, each season has their fleeting submission.. At the end of the day though, nothing does more heavy lifting on the pie circuit than King Apple. We grew up eating it, our parents grew up eating, our grandparents grew up eating...you get the picture. We have a life-long relationship with apple pie.  Of course that means there are more amateur bakers producing apple pies than any other pie and apple appears on a lot of restaurant menus as the sole pie representative. You know what that means.
There is a lot of crappy apple pie. Crappy crusts. Crappy apples. Crappy experience. Thankfully in this troubled world there are still places you can trust.  Gregg's Restaurants (there are 4 in Rhode Island) is my security blanket, my trusted friend and staunch supporter of Pie.  Last night, the North Kingstown location delivered this lovely piece of Apple Pie (of course with coffee) to a tired traveler.

Wicked Cold. Wicked Good.

Iced Coffee is one of the birthrights in New England, like flannel shirts and the Patriots always being in the Super Bowl. In the middle of winter, surrounded by dirty snow and even dirtier looks, we trudge through freezing temperatures with that iced coffee in hand.  Ponder your local February Dunkin Donuts experience- plenty of cold coffee on a cold day. It sucks when you do not have gloves to hold that iced coffee, but it is a small price to pay for the resulting glory. Drinking a freezing drink in a freezing temperature. Victory.
So, now it is October. The weather is getting downright breezy. Yesterday, I had this grown up inclination to drink hot coffee. "It's seasonably chilly, so be seasonably sensible, right?"  That feeling must have come from living in New Jersey for 25 years.  In New England, we like both types of music - country and western (wait, that didn't analogy did not work).  Anyway, New Englanders commune with hot and cold coffee in hand. No bias. Drink hot coffee when it is a 95 degrees.  Drink iced coffee while standing in a snow bank.  Our community has no boundaries.

Welcome to my time called Pie Time.

I've eaten a lot of pie in the past 15 years. There are some things I learned along the way.
First, you never know where you will find a good slice of pie. From strange little bunkers in the post-industrial, concrete jungle of sprawling Los Angeles (blackberry pie that will make your soul weep) to country mulch-farms in South New Jersey (caramel-dripped apple pie that is worthy of a national holiday). Amazing pie can be found anywhere and everywhere.  You need to keep your eyes open and your stomach empty.
Second, never joke about someone's pie-making ability. Pie bakers are serious (even when they are not serious people, pie baking makes them strangely earnest). They believe in the power of their pie. They believe it is extraordinary and they want you to experience this gift.  And sometimes...well, sometimes their extraordinary pie is pretty ordinary (or occasionally, outright  awful).  You can never tell them this. It is the adult version of debunking Santa Claus. Heart breaking and a bit dangerous. Just keep on eating and hope you can hold it down.
Lastly, pie brings us together. I am not shaming cake. Brownies are wonderful, Pudding still makes me laugh.  But pie is different. Pie binds us as humans.  Coupled with a good cup of coffee, the pie eating ritual slows us down, forces us into the present and makes us a little more decent.

(PS -  If you are looking to make a pie pilgrimage, the I Like Pie Bake Shop in Claremont, CA is a must on the list. Incredible.)