Pie a La Mode
By Maria Pilar Clark
Pie was “a la mode” as commercial pie manufacturers trekked to Celebration, Fla., in April for the 2005 American Pie Council’s (APC)/Crisco National Pie Championships, held in conjunction with the Great American Pie Festival.
Contestants vied for top pie-industry honors during the two-day competition, where more than 500 pies were baked, tasted and reviewed.
The competition offers the chance for amateur pie makers, professional bakers/chefs and commercial pie manufacturers to put their pies to the test against other top bakers from the United States and Canada.
Pies declared a slice above the rest by a panel of judges gain valuable feedback in terms of judge likes and dislikes, along with recommended improvements. In addition, first-place winners earn the right to place the APC gold seal on their packaging — a right that can increase sales for that particular pie by 30% to 40%.
The APC has created a standard of quality in pie making and has a well-established record in the pie-judging field for both amateur and professional/commercial bakers alike.
Winning submissions included pies from Bonert’s Slice of Pie, Harlan Bakeries, Nancy’s Pies, Sara Lee Foodservice, Schwan’s Bakery, Inc. and Bakers Square, among others.
For a complete list of winners or more information on pies, please visit the American Pie Council’s Web site: www.piecouncil.org.
