Day Trips

Pie Safe at Bluebonnet Cafe (Photo by Gerald E. McLeod)

National Pie Day slipped past me this year like an old girlfriend's birthday. When I remember it, I always think of the day fondly, but I never write it down on a calendar.

Of all my culinary mistresses, pies are the ones that hold the fondest memories. Why should the healthy attributes of pecans, blueberries, and chocolate be diminished by a few cups of sugar and a flaky crust? If an apple a day will keep the doctor away, then an apple pie a week should be of some health benefit.

Love Creek Orchards makes a great apple pie because the fruit comes fresh from its trees. In downtown Medina, the orchard's Apple Store has a variety of apple-related products, and the cafe makes a good sandwich topped off with, you guessed it, a slice of apple pie. There are also whole pies to take home and share (830/589-2588, www.lovecreekorchards.com).

I'm not sure you have to share your pie if you're eating it for medicinal purposes. For instance, I like to keep a blueberry pie from Texas Pie Co. in Kyle around the house for the berries' nutrients and antioxidants. You can eat your dessert in Texas Pie Co.'s dining room or take a pie and a casserole home to enjoy later (512/268-5885, www.texaspiecompany.com).

It's nearly impossible for me to drive through Wimberley without picking up a pecan pie from the Wimberley Pie Co. Neal Mallard has been making a wide variety of delicious pies and cookies for nearly 20 years (512/847-9462, www.wimberleypie.com).

When I'm near Corsicana, I'm looking for the chocolate-pecan pies from Collin Street Bakery. Best known for its fruitcakes, the bakery now has two locations in its hometown and a third bakery to open soon off I-35 in Waco. Besides offering a cornucopia of baked goods, the bakery often has specials on its fruit pies (903/874-7477, www.collinstreet.com).

For some connoisseurs, a solid meringue is the measure of a good pie. I'll concede the melt-in-your-mouth goodness of whipped egg whites toasted to a golden brown. The City Cafe in Elgin has what it calls "mile-high" meringues – big 4-inch-thick mounds that complement the fillings. To go with your pie, try one of the cafe's entrées to round out your meal. It is best to order whole pies at least 24 hours in advance (512/281-3663).

At the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, the meringues are respectable on the chocolate, lemon, and coconut pies, but the cafe excels at fruit pies. Some people actually go there to eat regular food. The rest of us stop by between 3 and 5pm, Monday through Friday, for Pie Happy Hour, when a slice and a drink only cost $3. It even has a sugarless apple pie (830/693-2344, www.bluebonnetcafe.net).

The American Pie Council has selected Jan. 23 as National Pie Day. Mark it on your calendar. I'm sure your significant other won't mind.

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