PIEstory: Meet Michael

A big ‘thank you’ to Michael for sharing his celebrity PIEstory with the Crave Pie community. 🤩

Crave Pie: What is your all-time favorite pie flavor?
Michael H.: Bourbon Chocolate Pecan

CP: Are you a pie baker?
MH: I have cooked pies before, but never actually made one from scratch.

CP: Is there a family member or friend in your life who was a pie baker?
MH: My cousin Dee makes them. She has never been afraid to tackle a recipe for baking. She has made many different pies, from scratch.

CP: Tell us about your fondest memory of pie in your life.
MH: My PIEstory is I took 3 pies over to TV legend Johnny Beckman for his 88th birthday. He didn't know I was bringing them. He had such a big smile on his face and wanted to eat one immediately when he saw them. He most definitely loved his introduction to Crave Pie!

CP: Was there a favorite pie that was present at family gatherings?
MH: My cousin Dee makes a really good pecan pie.

CP: Have you visited Crave Pie Studio?
MH: I have visited the Duluth location many times.

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us and you could be featured on our blog and social media and get a free 10” pie!

PIEstory: Meet Kelly

A big ‘thank you’ to Kelly for sharing her heartwarming PIEstory with the Crave Pie community.

We had the privilege of baking for Kelly and her husband, Reese's wedding last fall.  They were so busy at the reception that they missed out on enjoying pie. The newlyweds packed their precious pies in their carry on luggage. Keep your favorite dessert close, right?

When they landed they realized that their carry on bag was accidentally taken by another passenger. Sadly, their pies were gone. OH NO! 😢

To add insult to injury, Kelly had been writing letters to her future husband from the time she was a young teenager and planned to give the collection to her new husband on their honeymoon. Are you crying yet? We’re crying! 😭

Fortunately,  with the help of the local police, Kelly and Reese got their luggage back and all of the precious letters were intact. 💓 Unfortunately,  the pies had been "thrown out" (yeah right!) so they missed out on the wedding treat they were anticipating.  

After learning of their pie plight, Kelly's parents made a trip to Crave Pie Studio Duluth to buy pies to send to the couple. 

As fate would have it, they showed up just a few days after the fire destroyed our shop. (We’re screaming on the inside!!!!!)

They kindly shared how much their wedding guests enjoyed the pie. They wanted to send pies to Kelly and Reese to surprise them. Their words were a comfort and an affirmation for us to find a way to keep on baking pies to share during life's milestone moments.

We’re happy to report that Kelly recently visited our new Alpharetta shop where she picked up a few pies for her and Reese to finally enjoy. We hope this sweet couple lives happily ever after!

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us and you could be featured on our blog and social media.

PIEstory: Meet Tracey

A big ‘thank you’ to Tracey for sharing her heartwarming PIEstory with the Crave Pie community.

Here is picture of Curt, Tracey and their Jack Russell, baby Pearl.

Crave Pie: What is your all time favorite pie flavor?
T.R.: Apple or your chocolate chess

CP: Are you a pie baker?
T.R.: No, I am not a cook nor a baker so I appreciate those that have this special skill/gift

CP: Is there a family member or friend in your life who was a pie baker?
T.R.: Yes, my beloved Memaw made the most awesome cherry pies. Sadly, she passed away in a tragic accident the week before my wedding and was buried in the dress she was going to wear. I still dream about her

CP: Tell us about your fondest memory of pie in your life.
T.R.: Your little pies got my husband and me through a difficult time in our lives. In December of 2013, he had both of his knees replaced at the SAME TIME (he’s tough-we are both retired police officers but this was rough on him and on me as his caregiver). He was sent to Glancy for rehabilitation. I would go to Crave Pie almost everyday and get little pies as our treat (hospital food you know!). Enjoying those pies together were the highlight of our day!

CP: Was there a favorite pie that was present at family gatherings?
T.R.: My Memaw’s cherry pie which my mother took over after her death

CP: Have you visited Crave Pie Studio?
T.R.: Many times while my husband was doing his rehab around the corner and many times since! The hardest part is making the decision on what to get!

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us and you could be featured on our blog and social media.

PIEstory: Meet Melanie

A big ‘thank you’ to Melanie, the fabulous voice behind Capitol de Beaute, for sharing her PIEstory with the Crave Pie community.

Crave Pie: What is your all time favorite pie flavor?
Melanie W: Pumpkin & sweet potato with a dollop of fresh whipped cream!

CP: Are you a pie baker?
MW: I like to make quiches!

CP: Is there a family member or friend in your life who was a pie baker?
MW: My Grandmother was, however, Mom, brother & sister are still pie & quiche bakers! Similar recipes, Yet what they bake, all taste slightly different! Love that bakers all have their own magic twists!

CP: Tell us about your fondest memory of pie in your life.
MW: My Grandmother made amazing sweet potato & chess pies pies! Never a fan of chess, she always made a special sweet potato pie for me loaded with fresh crème fraîche, my favorite!

CP: Was there a favorite pie that was present at family gatherings?
MW: Always pumpkin or sweet potato!

CP: Have you visited Crave Pie Studio?
MW: Yes! Amazing experience! My new favorite pie, next to my Grandmother’s sweet potato, of course, is your spicey carrot!! It tastes like home and brings back those nostalgic Autumn, Winter and Holiday memories!

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us and you could be featured on our blog and social media.

PIEstory: Meet Katie

A big ‘thank you’ to Katie for sharing her PIEstory with the Crave Pie community.

Crave Pie: What is your all time favorite pie flavor?
Katie B.: Oh, that's tough! I love so many types of pies, but Crave Pie's Nutella Pie is one of the best desserts I've ever tasted.

CP: Are you a pie baker?
KB: Since my husband is from Kentucky, I've grown very fond of Chocolate Bourbon Pecan pies - that's the only pie I make.

CP: Is there a family member or friend in your life who was a pie baker?
KB: Yes, my Grandmother. My Grandparents were farmers in Michigan and avid gardeners. My Grandmother, an incredible cook and baker, enjoyed making strawberry rhubarb pie, mincemeat pie, apple pie and sweet potato pie for her family. My Grandmother passed away last year and my Grandfather passed this year - those family recipes are extra special now!

CP: Tell us about your fondest memory of pie in your life.
KB: Crave Pie holds a special place in my heart because that was one of the first places I took my son on a mother/son date. He was two and we lived about 2 miles from Crave Pie Studio at the time so I pushed him in our stroller and we ate pie and played at the local park. He was so excited to pick out the pie we shared. I still have the photo of him digging into that pie! He's 6 now, and we've been there several times since; he still gets just as excited about picking out a pie to enjoy!

CP: Was there a favorite pie that was present at family gatherings?
KB: Thanksgiving isn't complete without my Aunt's pumpkin pie!

CP: Have you visited Crave Pie Studio?
KB: Yes... many times!

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us and you could be featured on our blog and social media.

PIEstory: Meet Stephanie

A big ‘thank you’ to Stephanie for sharing her PIEstory with the Crave Pie community.

CP: What is your all time favorite pie flavor?
SW: Apple with the cheddar crust and bacon!

CP: Are you a pie baker?
SW: Yes! The classics, chess, apple, blueberry.

CP: Is there a family member or friend in your life who was a pie baker?
SW: My nana is the pie baker in our family.

CP: Tell us about your fondest memory of pie in your life. 
SW: We asked Crave Pie to provide the pies for our wedding! It was absolutely the talk of the wedding.

CP: Was there a favorite pie that was present at family gatherings?
SW: Always my apple pie!

CP: Have you visited Crave Pie Studio?
SW: Yes! My husband and I came in to try the pies as our tasting for our wedding and were absolutely blown away by the pies and the kindness!

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us here and you could be featured on our blog and social media.

Images courtesy of Honeyroot Photography, formerly Jack & Jenna Photography.

PIEstory: Meet Maggie

A big ‘thank you’ to Maggie for sharing her PIEstory with the Crave Pie community.

Crave Pie: What is your all time favorite pie flavor?
Maggie L.: Key Lime Pie- it's tart and sweet and perfect for any season or occasion. I will never tire of this pie!

CP: Are you a pie baker?

ML: Yes (but not as good as Crave Pie!), mostly apple and mixed berry pie. Occasionally a lemon meringue.

CP: Is there a family member or friend in your life who was a pie baker?
ML: Surprisingly, no. I don't recall a specific person who was the "pie person" in my family. We mostly did cakes, which might explain why I craved pies so much... we never had them!

CP: Tell us about your fondest memory of pie in your life.
ML: My husband and I both suffer from allergies/intolerances, so when we were deciding on what to do for our wedding, I knew cake was out. It just wasn't going to work for us, and after all the hard work planning that day, we wanted to enjoy the fruits (or desserts) of our labor! So, when the discussion came up about food and dessert in particular, I knew immediately what I wanted: PIE! Having been a Crave Pie addict for years, it was the first and only option I suggested, and I am happy to report my husband agreed. I mean, who wouldn't??

We were so thrilled to have part of our wedding catered by Crave Pie, but best of all, our guests LOVED IT. We had four flavors for guests: dutch apple, bourbon pecan, strawberry rhubarb, and chocolate chess. The four pies represented our combined background-- me, a northern girl with a love for fruit pies, and him, a southern boy who loves pecans and chocolate. I'm pretty sure the most talked about thing at the wedding was the pie bar. Several guests took an extra mini pie home (we made sure to have plenty) and we still get compliments on the pies years later.

My favorite, though, was our non-traditional key lime wedding pie. Daniel and I cut the pie together and indulged ourselves in our favorite dessert. I knew I married the right man when he said key lime was his favorite.

CP: Was there a favorite pie that was present at family gatherings?
ML: Always at family reunions-- somebody had to bring an apple or cherry pie. There was never enough to go around, so you had to sneak a tiny piece before it was gone.

CP: Have you visited Crave Pie Studio?
ML: On multiple occasions! My best friend and I have spent quite a bit of time in the studio, and I like to make a quick trip over during lunch for a delicious mini dessert when time allows.

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us here and you could be featured on our blog and social media.

PIEstory: Meet Crystal

A big ‘thank you’ to Crystal M. for sharing her PIEstory with the Crave Pie community.

Crave Pie: What is your all time favorite pie flavor?
Crystal M.: Apple pie is my all-time favorite pie flavor — although it’s not part of my PIEstory!

CP: Are you a pie baker?
CM: I’m not much of a baker but once a year, I bake Madison’s Pecan pie.

CP: Think back, what is your fondest memory of pie?  
CM: Several years ago, I had a student give me a pie basket for Christmas one year. This basket included everything I needed to make a gorgeous pecan pie, including hundreds of pecans my student and her mother meticulously collected from the pecan trees in their yard, along with their family pecan pie recipe. This particular student was one of the more challenging students I have had over many years of teaching, and I have many memories of her. She was severely behind academically, spent most of her days at school goofing off, and was quite the trouble maker. However, she was incredibly kind and, like most of us, just wanted to be loved.

Before my family Christmas celebration that year, I spent quite some time breaking open each pecan and harvesting the meat inside. Following the family recipe my student gifted to me, the pie turned out better than I could have hoped, especially seeing that I am not much of a baker. That first pecan pie was a hit, and now I make it every year, lovingly called Madison's Pecan Pie. It helps me remember that little girl and the special gift she and her mother gave me that Christmas.  

I recently heard from this particular student, who is now a senior in high school. Despite the challenges she and I shared while she was in my class, she remembers our time together fondly - as do I. She is on track to graduate and is planning on heading to college in the fall! I will always cherish the time and thought put into that gift, and each year as I make that pie I am reminded that, even if only for that brief school year, my students and I are family.

Have a PIEstory of your own? We want to hear it! Share it with us here and you could be featured on our blog and social media.