Photo by Katie Brown
I grew up in Indonesia, and apple pie was the first thing I learned to make from scratch in America, during a college English as a Second Language class. Nostalgia aside, a slice of well-made pie (a flaky crust is a must), served warm with a scoop of ice cream, is a perfect dessert.
Lemon Chess Pie (Garnett's Café) ( pictured )
This is one sexy, luscious pie: The buttery crust keeps the bright, tangy, silky-smooth lemon filling in check.
2001 Park Ave., 367-7909.
Chocolate Pecan Pie (Simply Southern Pies)
Chunks of pecans contrasted nicely with the chocolate filling. The pie was baked just long enough for the filling to be set but still gooey. Look for these pies at:
South of the James Market on Saturdays, or visit simplysouthernpies.com.
Raspberry Walnut Pie (Ettamae's Café)
Each bite was a beautiful rhapsody of contradiction: rich walnuts and buttery crusts punctuated with sweet, tangy raspberries. 522 N. Second St., 888-8058.
Upside Down Apple Walnut Pie (Tarrant's Café)
As if the warm, 4-inch disk of deliciously tender apple slices nestled in nutty walnut crust is not impressive enough, scoops of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream surround this scrumptious treat. This dessert is large enough to share. 1 W. Broad St., 225-0035.
Bean Pie (Croaker's Spot)
This sweet custard pie is made of cooked and mashed navy beans, eggs and milk, and spiced with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, contained in flaky pie crust. The beans make the custard less eggy.
1020 Hull St., 269-0464.
