The last time KCRW's Good Food PieFest and Contest was held in person, a custard pie won Best in Show. It was Edlyne Nicolas' Salted Earl Grey Honey Pie. If anyone knows what makes a custard pie stand out from the pack, it's Valerie Gordon. She has helped us judge the Good Food PieFest & Contest for years.
This Sunday, April 30, she'll take a break from running the new Valerie Confections chocolate shop and bakery in Glendale to, once again, lift her fork and critique the hundreds of entries in this year's pie spectacle. Here's how she prepares, what she looks for and how she recuperates from all that pie.