Fives: Pies
Pies are such a wonderful dessert. The combo of crust and filling makes every forkful a tasty one, and many pies pair well with other sweets. And unlike, say, grabbing a scoop of ice cream with your bare hands, if you show up to a party with pie in tow, you’re going to be a big hit.
Will you want to pie five this list? Maybe. If nothing else, hopefully it gives you some motivation to make a pie of your own.
5. Peach
No. 5 on these lists always seems to be a controversial option. I expect peach to be similarly lambasted, but if you’re doubting its inclusion here, you just haven’t had a peach pie in awhile. Peaches on their own can sometimes be disappointing – ever bit into a peach you expected to be juicy and flavorful and it was hard as a rock? – but peach pie is consistently delicious, bursting with that sweet, sweet nectar.
4. Apple
Apple pies have the biggest fluctuation of any item on this list, thanks to there being about 167 varieties of apples. However, that variety means you can get a dud of an apple pie, which is just one of the saddest things I can think of. But a strong apple pie is a beautiful sight (and taste) to behold. Toss some vanilla ice cream on it and you have a dessert that can make even the Scroogiest of people smile.
3. Pumpkin
It is not Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. One Thanksgiving I was so ill I could barely keep anything down. That did not deter me from having pumpkin pie – my body refused everything but it welcomed the warm comfort of the great pumpkin. That’s the mark of a great pie. Even when you think you can’t have another bite (of anything), your stomach greets another slice with open arms. Or, you know, whatever the stomach equivalent of arms is.
2. Key Lime
Speaking of not being able to have another bite, in my younger days, I was a frequent patron of the Fogo de Chao steakhouse. If you’re not familiar with these types of establishments, gauchos bring you copious amounts of meat on skewers and you literally eat until you cannot eat anymore. You have a small card that you can flip over – green means “more, please” while red means “goodness gracious, just thinking about food right now hurts my entire body.”
Once when I was at Fogo de Chao, there was a promotion happening where, in addition to your endless meat, you got a free slice of pie. The choices were some sort of chocolate decadence and key lime pie. My decision was already made before our server even finished saying the word “key.” I had unbuckled my belt, unbuttoned my pants, and my stomach was nearly scraping the floor, it was so heavy from meat. Yet that key lime pie was like tasting food for the very first time. It was that magical. And that’s the experience I have every time, just usually with less meat involved.
1. Sweet Potato
Some people live and die by pumpkin pie, but here’s an even better option: sweet potato. While some pumpkin pies can have a somewhat flat taste, sweet potato doesn’t suffer from that problem. They’re also versatile enough that they can be paired with anything, whether it’s a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, a heaping scoop of whipped cream, or a tall, frothy glass of milk. Plus, if you eat enough of it, you’re getting all the superfood benefits of sweet potatoes. That’s how nutrition works, right?
