Sunday, September 12, 2010

Pie Quest

Every year on the second Saturday in September, Pie Town, New Mexico, (population 200) 
holds its annual pie festival. The settlement got its name in the early 1920s; 
cowboys who drove cattle through the area stopped at the local mercantile 
for its delicious pies, and they came to refer to the wide spot in the trail as Pie Town.

Piemakers from the surrounding area bring their confections to the festival 
each year to be judged, and festival-goers can buy pieces of the pies 
once the judges have completed the very difficult task of deciding the winners.

Some friends of mine have been pie-festival-goers for many years, and 
Smooch and I met them and their dogs at yesterday's event to eat pie and go hiking afterwards.

There were about 100 pies of all flavors in the competition.




Pies are grouped and judged by categories – fruit, non-fruit, youth division.
This year's grand champion was a green tomato pie.



Choosing which pie to sample was nearly impossible, and I could not narrow it down to just one, so I bought two slices – one for me and one for Smooch. That was my story, anyway, and I'm sticking to it. We sat down under a tree to enjoy our Strawberry Pecan and Wild Blueberry.



Smooch had a little trouble using her fork...



...so I had to help her when it got down to the crust.



Yesterday ranks right up at the top of the best-day-of-Smooch's-life list. 
She got to watch 300-some miles of beautiful New Mexico scenery go by 
from the front seat of the truck; she met more dogs and more people in a few hours 
than she has in all her five years; and she got to go hiking with her pals.

I've promised her we would go back again for next year's pie festival.
She has her heart set on some more of that Wild Blueberry.

34 comments:

  1. I love this post! What could be better than a pie festival? Mmmmm.
    Although I am trying to imagine a green tomato pie. Not sure if I could wrap my taste buds around that.

    You look so pretty. And I love the pic of Smooch using her fork. She looks so happy. It looks like you both had a great day.

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  2. What a great day! We've thought about going to the festival - especially when we've stopped there on the way to my dad's in Phoenix - the pies are to die for!

    Beautiful picture of you and Smooch.

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  3. MMMMMM! I would have gone for the chocolate buttermilk pie!
    I see that Smooch is well named.

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  4. Looks like a fun time was had by all. I think I would have had a hard time picking just one pie to sample...but that peach/raspberry/blackberry would have been in my sights! I sure hope you take Smooch back again next year so she can sample more pies! :)

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  5. I don't blame Smooch - that does sound like the best day ever! And the pies....oohhhh, the pies....

    Nancy in Iowa

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  6. I love the picture of you and Smooch with pie-eating grins! You look like sisters!

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  7. WHAT a perfect day, Linda, and that HAS to be one of the best photos ever of you ! I look at it and wonder how you could ever have survived the life of a busy corporate executive decked out in high heels :)

    PS I want those earrings !!!!!!!!

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  8. Looks like some delicious fun! I love wild blueberry too, no wonder Smooch had such a good time.

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  9. Wow a pie festival! I can only imagine how good that would taste, and I thinkI would have a hard time picking even two flavors.

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  10. I wish we had a Pietown!

    What a great place and festival.

    I have to agree with everyone that said that is one of the best pics of you and Smooch!

    I'm sure Smooch will be telling everyone back at the 7MSN about what a great day she had and how special she is :)

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  11. I'm hungry! Really. I haven't had lunch, but I wanted to see what you had been up to. What delicious and unusual looking pies. Thank you for your good taste cowboys!

    I love your pictures, especially the one of you and Smooch with your happy faces on.

    I'm off to raid the frig for lunch.

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  12. All those pies looked delicious...
    it would have been a difficult decision! That's a great pic of you and Smooch! So glad someone took a photo of YOU. What a busy day and long trip.

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  13. Oh my gosh, how on earth did you make your decision on only 2 pieces of pie! Everything looked/sounded SO tempting!!!

    Good picture of you and Smooch and I love her showing her love in the last picture!

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  14. Oh my GOODNESS!! Chocolate buttermilk?! Triple chocolate decadence??!! YUM.
    I'm on a recent pie-making kick - I definitely need to see if I can find some recipes for these sweet babies.
    Smooch looks so happy, licking on that guy's face. :-)
    Sounds like a very perfect day!

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  15. That sounds like a really fun festival. I have never even heard of some of those kinds of pies. Blueberry though, now that I am familiar with :)

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  16. Smooch is such a beautiful creature!

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  17. Great post. Wish we had a pie festival in my neck of the woods! What a wonderful photo of you and Smooch.

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  18. I want pie.
    More, I want a Smooch smooch like she's givin' her friend!

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  19. That is a beautiful picture of you and Smooch, you both look so happy and very pretty.

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  20. Green tomato pie?! I'm now going to search for a recipe. There is a bounty in my garden.

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  21. My dogs other name is "mooch"! She would have been on those tables faster than you could say "the pie is now being served"!!
    Lucky dog...
    signed
    Theresa in Alberta

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  22. Ah, now we know why she's called Smooch! Doggy kisses are the best...well next to cat 'headbutts' ;-).

    Glad you both had a nice day x

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  23. I love that pic of the two of you together. Beautiful!! What a perfect day!!

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  24. What a great day for both of you!

    I find it a bit interesting that Smooch does so well with other dogs. Our dogs rarely meet other dogs and when they do, it's not good. It's like they don't know how act.

    The picture of you and Smooch is wonderful.

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  25. Yummo those pies look good! I see Lyle came with you too ;)

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  26. CeeCee, I was shocked beyond belief at how well Smooch did in this crowd. While most of the other dogs were on leashes, once in awhile I'd be busy taking pictures, then look down to see an unleashed dog and Smooch sniffing each other as peacefully as can be. On her own turf, Smooch does not get along with guest dogs. At. All. I had no idea she could be such a balanced social butterfly.

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  27. Dogs tend to do great in big packs. It's amazing. It's as if they say "I'm not starting a fight in this crowd!"

    We do an annual dog walk with hundreds of dogs. There's never a fight.

    Those pies sound incredible!

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  28. I'm not really a chocoholic, but those chocolate pies are kind of getting to me :)!

    Agree with all above, the photo of you and Smooch is wonderful!

    About Smooch being sociable in a crowd - it is interesting how different animals can behave away from "home". My dog Karl LOVES any dog that arrives by car or truck and it is "happy, happy, let's play"...but a dog that "walks" on to our 8 acres??? - that dog gets an escort off the property complete with raised hackles. Away from home and everyone off leash - there is the meet and great sniff - a decision about whether to play or move on.

    I always think that perhaps I could learn a lot from Karl's approach...

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  29. Great great picture of you two. I want the blouse. I am afraid I would have overdosed at the pie festival.

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  30. bummer being so late to post....everything has been said....but, yes, it is a great pic of you, Linda. Thanks for posting one full on. It's good to see the face that is usually behind all those marvy pics.

    and seriously??? Green tomato pie??? I'm eyeing that triple chocolate thing-a-ma-dig...oooooo my mouth is just a waterin' thinking about that followed by some candy bar pie :)

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  31. What could be better? Pies, hiking, friends and dogs. That's all anyone needs!

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  32. Smooch is the Mayor of Pie Town!

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  33. That is a great picture of you two! Love it! I would have had to try to Green Tomato Pie...love me some fried green tomato's...

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  34. Wow! What a great post!
    All pies looks delicious...and sounds that you and Smooch had a nice time.
    Your photo with Smooch are gorgeous!

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