The contest was called the Pottstown Apple Pie Palooza. Really, with a name like that, how could I not enter? The occasion was the Schuylkill Riverfest, and my son Chris, who was on the festival committee, volunteered me to bake a pie, well, two actually, for the contest. I was not too happy about it. First of all, two pies had to be made and delivered to Churchill's on High Street before 9 a.m. on Saturday. That meant I had to bake Friday night AFTER work and driving to Ursinus College to bring my daughter home for fall break weekend and buying groceries and getting laundry started, etc. Then, according to the rules, the second pie had to be part of a "display." I call that a science fair project, and I am done assisting or creating or even discussing science fair projects. So, I left that part of the entry to Chris.
But back to my pies ... I baked two Country Apple Tarts with a Chadds Ford Winery recipe that includes nearly a cup of apple-cinnamon wine in each, topped with brown-sugar and butter crumbs. This is a juicy, rich recipe, and for the apples, I buy Jona-Gold from Mauger's Orchards that this year are the largest, nicest baking apples I have ever seen. I had the proper enthusiasm for my pies and although I know my baking isn't award-winning, I enjoyed the experience nonetheless.
At Riverfest, my pie was there with others on display supplemented with a placard made by Chris that highlighted my earlier pie-raising experience at Riverfront Park. Last spring, I was pied in the face as part of a team fundraiser for the Relay for Life at the Bark for Life canine relay event held in the park. The whipped-cream photo of me that appeared in the next day's Mercury was the centerpiece for the display.
I think I won the People's Choice contest at Riverfest, not because my pie was better than anyone else's but because the two of my children in attendance each put $1 in the ballot box, and that looked to be enough to go over the top.
I don't however, know who won the pie-tasting contest. When I ask, those in charge of the contest tell me that they will "put something in The Mercury." Well, that's what I do for a living, so maybe if you tell me, I can get that accomplished.
My point in all this rambling is that last weekend's contest was a palooza -- fun but a little confusing. I think I'll go back to watching the Phillies.