When KCRW understood that it would be impossible to conduct our annual Good Food Pie Contest in person, we had to think of an alternative. We still wanted bakers to use the competition to gather with friends, collaborate and/or challenge themselves to do something new.
The idea of a Pie Pageant — based on looks alone — was floated and we immediately pounced.
Then I thought about what we can do via social media that we don’t do for the yearly contest. And it came to me: We should allow bakers to tell their stories. If we can’t taste the pies, at least we can learn more about the maker and that age old question of “why pie?”
We are thrilled that more than 100 people participated. And boy, was it hard to choose the winners. I had help from Clemence Gossett of Gourmandise School and Valerie Gordon of Valerie’s Confections and the Good Food team.
Evin Spain's story about his great grandmother Ruth’s Chocolate Meringue Pie has it all. He weaves a tale of family history, tradition and social history with a serving of food criticism.
