Caroline Pardilla

Photo Gallery: KCRW's 2nd Annual Good Food Pie Contest

— by Caroline on Crack

Last weekend I had the chance to attend the KCRW Pie Contest, hosted by Good Food‘s Evan Kleiman, at the Taste of Beverly Hills venue for the very first time. I thought for sure the lure of free pie tastings would cause a massive C-F. That’s over 150 homemade pies — savory, fruit, nut, etc. Who could resist?

But fortunately, even with the mobs of people milling about the lined-up pies, I was able to get some tastes. Two slivers were all I needed as my picks were so sweet (of course I went for the sweet pies first) that I couldn’t stomach any more, even though I was tempted several times. Bourbon pecan pie, you say? With over 150 pies there were some hits and misses, some intriguing and some repulsive (most cream pies that were sitting out), but all done with earnestness to try and be the best pie in their class.

Sadly, my friend HappyGoMarni‘s Orange Maple Hazelnut pie didn’t make the final round but, hey, more for us!

Here are the winners (from Good Food blog):

FRUIT

  1. SARAH BOULTON (Michigan Tart Cherry Pie)
  2. BOBBY JO CHI (Pie Love You Apple Pie)
  3. MARLA CUSACK (Nectarine Almond Tart)

SAVORY

  1. YUICHIRO SATO (Meat Pie)
  2. BOBBY JO CHI (Fresh Corn and Jalapeño Polenta Pie)
  3. CHRISTINA XENOS (Spanikopita)

**CREAM
** 1. LAUREL ALMERINDA (Baked Coconut Custard)
2. GABRIELA HASLIP (Chocolate Cream Pie)
3. ELIZABETH LOVINS (Coco Coconut Chanel Cream Pie)

**INTERPRETIVE
** 1. DENISE BEAUCHAMP (Pluot with Almond Cream & Almond Shortbread Crust)
2. CLAIRE GERRITY ? MOTT (Mac and Cheese Pie)
3. RACHEL HERSCH (Banana Fluffer Nutter Pie)

**NUT
** 1. MARLA CUSACK (Macadamia Nut Pie)
2. HANS GOPLEN (Pecan Pie)
3. GENEVIEVE OSTRANDER (Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust)

**BEST CRUST
** LAUREL ALMERINDA

**BEST IN SHOW
** YUICHIRO SATO

So if you missed out this time, I suggest you try and make the next competition, if not as competitor definitely as spec-taster. Heh, see what I did there? They not only have pies for the tasting but an apron fashion show. Really fun event, not so much the mob scene you’d think it would be and did I mention that it’s free?!