Portland Pie-Off

Okay, here is definitely a Portland event after my own heart and stomach.  Turns out Portland has a yearly Pie-Off (who knew?) and the next one is coming directly to you this Sunday, July 31st at Laurelhurst Park!

That’s right a Portland Pie-Off, the fifth annual in fact, is a baking competition brought to you by The Portland Pie Commission, a group of like-minded pie lovers who, according to the Portland Pie-Off website, explain their raison d’etre de pie: “We are not raising awareness and we are not trying to sell anything. We just love pie, and our community, and summer, and all of the great local produce. We firmly believe that pie brings people together.”

Rules are simple: 1) Bake one or more homemade pies.  2) Submit your pie(s) in one of the pie categories (listed below) and show up with that Pie on Sunday at the park to have it tasted by one of the Pie judges.  Winners are announced after all pies have been tasted and bakers are encouraged to share recipes.

Judging categories include a prize for Best Sweet Pie for fruit pies and non-fruit pies.  There’s also a prize for Best Savory Pie for all you uber-cool bakers looking for the next great pie trend; a past winner of this category, the Moroccan Lambstravaganza Pie, was filled with onions, garlic, lamb, pine nuts, currants and dates.  There’s a special category forCreative Masterpiece Pie to include all unusual pies such as the 2009 winner, a Cucumber-Honeydew-White Chocolate Pudding Ice Box Pie.  And finally a People’s Choice Pie-Off award for most popular pie.  The Pie-Off event also features beer, costumes with a pie motif and pastry-themed bands (yes, I’m still trying to figure out what a pastry-themed band might look or sound like!).

Pie Bakers and Pie Spectators are encouraged to arrive at 2:00 pm for registration.  Judging begins at 3:00 pm and pies are consumed quickly thereafter.  Everyone is encouraged to bring a pie for sharing, even if it is something picked up at the store and not part of the competition.  These are serious pie people so come prepared with an empty stomach and a gluttonous appetite.

Join us this Sunday at the Portland Pie-Off and check out the Pie-Off Facebook Page for up-to-date details.