With the incoming fall season right within our crosshairs, it’s important to indulge in the fall festivities and there is no better way to do that than enjoying pie, whether it’s apple, pumpkin, cherry or any flavor for that matter. The go-to pie flavors that pop into anyone’s head when thinking about anything pie related is, of course, apple and pumpkin as they are a great fall treat. A way to amplify your enjoyment of these desserts and make them taste even better is to heat them up and enjoy with ice cream or cool whip, which is a personal suggestion, to add a nice flavor and texture contrast. Adding to this point, warmed up apple pie is better with ice cream due to the warm apple bits complementing the cold, creamy ice cream very well. Cool whip and pumpkin pie also go together like peanut butter and jelly, while also having a creamy smooth texture with rich flavors that make them a perfect pair.
Aside from the more popular flavors named, an uncommon yet flavorful pie that is underrated is coconut cream pie, which has coconut shavings on top of a coconut-flavored cream base and a graham-cracker-crust bottom. The coconut shavings provide a unique texture compared to a traditional pie as it adds a bit of crunch and clashes with the cream base, culminating into an enjoyable pie. Coconut custard pie is also in a similar boat as the previously mentioned coconut cream pie as it also has coconut shavings and cream but is more of a tart in texture and presentation compared to coconut cream pies.
Contrasting with most other pies offered during this time period, what lemon-flavored pies offer is a unique bitterness not commonly found in pies that make them unique enough to warrant trying at least once. Lemon meringue pie is a sweet, slightly bitter cream-based pie with a nice crunchy base that allows for a favorable eating experience. Lemon custard pie is in a similar vein to coconut custard pie with a tarter texture and it’s less creamy than a cream-based pie, but is still a good option when deciding what pie you want to eat.
Two other pies that are somewhat popular during the fall season are mixed berry pies and pecan pies, two types of pie that are unique in flavor combinations and texture. Mixed berry pies are sweet and smooth, while pecan pies are unique in the fact that they are made from a type of pecan that is caramelized and sweet, while pairing well with salted caramel ice cream to add those sweet and salty contrasting flavors. Each type of pie has their strengths and weaknesses, but each deserves a fair shot in the stomachs of all Iona Gaels.
