Heaven, in Pie Form

Allison Kave, founder and head baker of First Prize Pies, has been getting a lot of buzz this summer. She was featured in T Magazine and in NY Mag’s list of this year’s Cheap Eats.

I met Allison when the Hester Street Fair first opened. Drawn to her table by mom Rhonda Kave’s Roni-Sue’s Chocolate’s (I still have to try that chocolate-covered bacon!), I noticed Allison’s bourbon ginger pecan pie displayed on the table. She mentioned that she had a root beer cream pie as well, but that the heat prevented her from selling those at the fair.

“Root beer cream pie” remained rooted in my brain, stubbornly taking up space where I needed to remember interview tips and editors’ names and email etiquette. I ran into Allison again when buying bacon buttercrunch from Roni-Sue’s and couldn’t shake the idea of a root beer float with a pie crust out of my mind. Finally, one frustrated afternoon, I decided to just go for it.

Kave takes all of her orders by email, and can usually turn an order around in a week. The 9-inch pies are $25 and the 4-inch minis are $6 (but you have to buy 2). Keith and I decided to try the chocolate peanut butter pretzel pie along with the root beer cream pie. I scheduled a Wednesday morning pick-up, and dreamed of root beer custard and peanut butter cream and yummy pie goodness.

Pies can be picked up at Essex Market (home to Saxelby Cheesemongers, where I bought delicious ricotta while waiting for my pies to be ready). Allison makes them herself, sharing the Roni-Sue’s stall.

After waiting all day, I finally devoured them in the afternoon. The root beer pie was heaven, light and sweet and creamy. Keith and I finished it in less than a minute. The pretzel pie was delicious too, with a salty pretzel crust and my favorite candy combination ever, chocolate peanut butter (if I had a dime for every Reese’s I’ve ever eaten, I wouldn’t need to find a job … ). Of course by the time I thought, “oh perhaps I should take a picture,” Keith and I had eaten everything, so I’ll just have to wait until next time.

I’ve already started planning when I’ll buy a 9-inch root beer cream pie. And since her Bourbon Ginger pecan pie is a prizewinner (from the 1^st annual Brooklyn Pie Bake-Off) I’ll have to try that one too.