And she learned to make pie and lived happily ever after.  The end.

That’s is exactly how I expected this blog to go.  It was going to be about my year of pie, how I learned to make it and offer tips and tricks for others aspiring to become competent pie makers.

What I didn’t expect was my public confession that the blog was disguising a broken heart over a fourth miscarriage that exhausted my mind and extinguished my dreams of a third child. I didn’t expect that my blog would become an occasional outlet to express my thoughts about fertility and loss and that strangers would find me and leave comments or messages of support and gratitude for providing a positive, honest outlook on a very delicate topic.  The unexpected side of pie was that it provided healing not just for me, but countless others.

What I didn’t expect was that a wonderful woman from Sugarland Texas would send me the cookbook she made with her mother, entitled none other than Pie Eyed.  That a short email friendship with a fellow baking enthusiast would result in a gift that is so special and dear to me.  The unexpected side of pie was that it allowed two strangers in two different states the opportunity to bake the same recipes and share with each other a piece of their lives.

What I didn’t expect was that I would chat with a man in California about his lemon trees, that people from 61 different countries would read my blog, that more than 15,000 visits would be logged (14,000 of which I’m certain are my mother) and that I would reconnect with childhood teachers and friends.  I didn’t anticipate that pie would evolve into an offering of gratitude and create a bridge for me to cross into the lives of people such as Ednia Eason, homeless families and even the oil change guy. The unexpected side of pie was that it gave me a portal to the world from my small town Cleveland kitchen.

That’s exactly how I did NOT expect this blog to go.

And she learned to make pie and lived happily ever after knowing that the unexpected side of pie is in the story that unfolds after it comes out of the oven.  The end.

My First Pie School 

The self-taught student has become the teacher!  This past weekend I hosted five friends for my first pie clinic.  My pie-making has hit a bit of a plateau, so the idea of teaching others to make pie was just the infusion of energy I needed.  Five women, three food processors, hand made aprons, hand made oven mitts, chef hats and wine for everyone made this pie clinic a memorable one!

The menu:  2 Apple Sour Cherry pies, 2 Salted Honey Pies, 1 Dark Chocolate Cream pie, and 25 Caramel Pecan handpies.

In four and a half hours we were sitting at the table feasting and toasting a successful pie clinic.  So much pie!

Yet another unexpected side of pie – building friendships and memories through baking, learning and eating together.   I can’t wait for the next one!