you knew you'd hear from me this week right?

it's time for that pie superbowl, and I am so here for you

In a few days people from all over will gather with their families—by birth and by choice—to engage in some of their favorite food rituals and traditions. For the last seven years I have been lucky enough to be invited into many of your traditions and tables, providing pie and joy and a moment of encouragement as you go. It’s no understatement when I say this: Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

This year, unlike the past 7, I am not making loads of pie. I am making a few, for close friends, family, and a (very) few people who have reached out asking for the pies I was already planning on making. That is often my rule, if I am making 2, why not 12?

2016 Thanksgiving pie offerings

The first Thanksgiving I was making pie it was 2016. I was baking out of a church basement. I had recruited my mother-in-law, my dear friends Stacy and Jodi, and my beloved spouse to help me make 78 pies. The most pie I had made at one time at that point was 30 and even that felt like a lot of pie. Why did I even think 78 was possible? Answer: I don’t think there was a lot of thinking happening back then.

We made all the pies that were promised, barely. And that was the last year that Ratchet and I hosted Thanksgiving. Which feels sad every year when it comes around as it was a point of magic and connection that we shared when we first met. But that was the year I fell asleep at the dinner table. It took me more than a week to recover, and more than a month for my friend Jodi to call. My friend Stacy even longer. It is sometimes a wonder I kept at it.

But I did. Seeing the look on people’s faces, hearing stories about the pie and the oooooohs and aaaaaahhhs they’d get from their family and friends, I can still feel that energy and deep joy in my bones. And that feeling? Whooo-ee, it’s addictive.

These past 17 months since walking away from our kitchen on 36th and Chicago I’ve been examining that addictive feeling. Stepping back, occasionally dipping my toes into opportunities here and there, the time has given me the space to really feel and listen to my body, heart, and soul. What it has offered is this:

• I am done with high production, commercial kitchens, popping up, making enough pie to make enough money, or at least break even. There is no even, only breaking. It just isn’t who I am or where I feel at my best. I am best when I am with you—the people—sharing my stories and listening to yours.

• (More) loop > (less) actual pie. From the very beginning Pie & Mighty embedded its ordering system into an email you had to subscribe to. There was no ordering pie unless you subscribed. That was very intentional. I wanted to you to hear my vision about pie, laugh at the things I found funny, and walk with me as we built the plane we were flying. You can’t do that with a button on a website.
  
  Sure, lots of people complained “why do I have to sign up, I just want pie!” We were never selling “just pie.” We were creating a vision for how pie could bring joy and create togetherness, community, love, and peace in our world.
  
  I’ve wondered what to say knowing I rarely had pie to sell and no hustle to figure out how to offer more. I’ve been plagued by what I don’t have anymore, forgetting how much I DO have. But over these many months I’ve been remembering what I’ve forgotten but known all along: it was never just pie.

• You can make pie. I believe in you and I can teach you. That is the direction that feels good, right. The idea isn’t new: we promised it to our Pie & Mighty community when we raised FUNds to build our space out. Making the pie to sell took all of our time and we were never able to get to it. Now I know, it is the only sustainable way forward for Pie & Mighty, and for me.

So there you have it: my thoughts on a way forward that feels joyful and generative and honest and doable. No timeline or place or details. But I swear, it IS coming. I can finally feel it again. I hope you’ll stick around for it.

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pumpkin pie

Looking back at past Pie Loop emails, one of my favorite things is reading the pie descriptors we came up with. Ratchet and I were recently looking at the pumpkin recipe in particular because we brought some to our friends open studio event and wanted to make sure we knew the allergens just in case someone asked.

The description that we used went like this: What can we possibly tell you about this pie that wouldn't give away all of our secrets? Tradition ... tradition!
ingredients: pumpkin, brown sugar, half & half, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices.

Well friends, in honor of the holiday I’ve decided it is time to give away our “secrets.”

This—in my opinion—is the best version of a classic traditional pumpkin pie. The key to making it perfect? Black pepper, letting the goo sit for a little bit once you’ve made it, and a slow, watchful baking and cooling approach. When it says “click here” in the recipe and won’t let you click it, try this link and then this one.

If you have questions, I am more than happy to answer any and all in the comments. I’m also delighted to see your name and anything you’d like to say in the comments. I like comments. And you.

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Finally, I mentioned previously that I would pop-up at Bench Pressed on Small Business Saturday, but sadly I had to cancel that event. My capacity was unstable, my heart was unsure, and I do not have the help I need pull it off. But here is my ask: can everyone who lives in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area PLEASE go visit them and buy at least one thing? They sell the coolest stuff and I promise you’ll find a little something that will make you chuckle and doesn’t that just feel good?

I can’t make up for my last minute cancel, but together as a community we can flood them with love. And I’d really love that.

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