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A dinner guest last night was kind enough to bring a coffee cream pie from Hoosier Mama. Wow is that good. It's been a couple of months since my last slice of HMP, and the crust is even better than I remembered. Pure perfection. The coffee cream is rich and light, with plenty of good coffee flavor shining through. Dessert last night, breakfast today, and a mid afternoon snack too if my wife doesn't get to it soon.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

The persimmon pie from Hoosier Mama ranks as one of the top pies that I have had from them. My persimmon experiences are limited (and not great), but the pie tasted like, and I mean this as a compliment, pumpkin pie with orange cream soda poured on top.

I am guessing that the release is very limited, but it is seriously worth the trip to get one of these.

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I love persimmon, so I was excited to learn about the new pie last week. But it disappointed me. I found it too similar in both flavor and texture to their pumpkin pie, which I love but which isn't persimmon.

I'm with msmre. The persimmon pie was great. It indeed had plenty of nutmeg and cinnamon, and an overall flavor and texture similar to pumpkin pie. But the persimmon taste came through.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

To give you an idea of how serious she is about that stuff, note that she was talking about just having gotten in some persimmon pulp to experiment with in my video, which was probably shot in late October or early November. And it's only recently made it to being offered for sale.

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The way HM's persimmon pie was so delicately spiced and lightly sweetened, if it really tasted like pumpkin, you'd spit it out. I thought the persimmon pie was quite good. There is a pumpkin/squash/sweet potato texture and even slight taste to cooked persimmon, but pumpkin is a lot stronger in taste, and hence, takes better (and even invites) more aggressive spicing. I liked the way HM treated the persimmon with delicacy, allowing orange notes to show through and brighten this otherwise odd fruit (or is it a vegetable?). Score 1 for Hoosier Mama. (Don't get me started on their apple pie, though. I'm not a believer in al dente fruit in pies.)

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Local Beet

Finally made my way over to Hoosier Mama's little shop this weekend. I picked up two pies -- a small Ginger Custard and a large Peanut Butter pie. Man...I knew they were an awesome bakery before I walked in the door but these pies were outstanding.

The Ginger Custard was filled with little bits of crystallized ginger in a very nice but not overly sweet custard with their standard brilliant pie crust. It was delicious and just the thing for my tastebuds that day.

The Peanut Butter -- holy cow, the Peanut Butter. The lightest, fluffiest, most incredibly delicious creamy peanut butter pie I've ever tasted. Very pretty too, drizzled with a tiny bit of chocolate on top and some peanuts. Gingersnap crust. My only (tiny) complaint is that I wish there had been a bit more of the chocolate drizzle on top -- because of course the choco/peanut butter mix is insane.

But...this place is really a Chicago treasure. And while the product isn't cheap -- it's not ridiculous considering the high quality they put out.

I love this place.

Shannon

Had my first taste last week. A fabulous neighbor took a field trip and included me in her delivery. I had banana cream and apple rhubarb. Both were very nicely flavored. I loved the crust on the banana and the crumb crust on the apple. And anything rhubarb is top of my list. I'll certainly be making a trip there myself one day soon.

Interesting choice of crusts, I would have expected a crumb crust for the banana cream and a standard crust for the rhubarb.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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I got my first taste over the weekend of their apple pie - just tremendous! Great, buttery crust, and a nicely al dente, chunky apple filling.

I hesitated to invest over $19.00 for a pie - until I consider that I pay nearly $10.00 for dessert at Naha, which isn't nearly as good as a slice of Hoosier Mama.

So I am converted!

I've been trying Hoosier Mama's pies, thanks to the nice folks at the Unicorn Cafe, up on Sherman Ave in Evanston. After the better half's doctor visit in Chicago two days ago, we were finally able to get to the source, and take home some fresh-baked wonders.

We've sampled five of the pies since May, the Apple, Cherry, Blueberry Apricot, Raspberry, and Chocolate Cream. While in the store, we got a sample of the new Buttermilk pie, too.

Several of these pies approach pie nirvana.

The Chocolate Cream is a classic in my book. Light as a feather whipped cream, lovely crust, thick at the edges and thin on the bottom, and the most intensely "chocolaty" chocolate cream I've ever tasted. I simply love this pie. The filling has the same consistency and flavor intensity as homemade chocolate pudding. It was clearly the best of the bunch we tasted, and I'll be happily making the trip to 1618 1/2 Chicago Ave to get more.

In deference to the better half, she was less thrilled with the chocolate cream. She prefers a lighter filling, more on the order of a chocolate mousse, and was much less impressed than I. Still, she's polished off two small slices over the past two days, so it couldn't be that bad.

The raspberry is also excellent. The filling has a very high proportion of fruit; clearly fresh fruit has been reduced, and the binding is neither gummy nor too sweet. The flavor of fresh raspberries comes shining through. We also think the blueberry apricot is a great pie. Both are traditional double crusts, with lots of flavor and crispness.

We were much less impressed with the cherry and apple. We found the crust a bit too thick on these two pies, and the cherry filling was not clearly better than other cherry pies we've tasted. The apple filling tends to the crisp/undercooked side, I liked it, the better half did not. I can find apple and cherry pies nearly as good as these for a lot less cash.

The buttermilk sample reminded us of really excellent, light cheesecake, with a real buttermilk tang. Again the crust is classic homemade, single crust. I'd go out of my way for this kind of pie, too!

Our sense is that Hoosier Mama really excels with her cream pies, and pies that others cannot or do not execute. I want to try the chocolate chess, lemon chess, and coconut cream pie, and exotic combination fresh fruit fillings, but I don't think I'll go for additional apple and cherry pies.

One last thing. Their website actually recommends other pie shops, including a tremendous pie shop in Door County; Sweety Pies in Egg Harbor ( not related to the bakery in Skokie). I think it brave and commendable to recommend other craft bakers who compete in the same market, and even more so when the bakers they recommend make a pie every bit as good, or perhaps better, than the recommender! We tried the triple berry and cherry from them, because we happened to have a relative competing in a Door County half-marathon who brought them home for us. Bottom line, best cherry pie my wife ever tasted, and one of my top two. The triple berry was the best fruit pie I ever tasted. Both were full of at least two inches worth of incredibly fresh fruit, with a tiny about of additional sugar - they were just awesome: the very essence of fruit pie, with crisp, tasty, flaky crusts. Luckily for Hoosier Mama, they are way to far away for routine competition!

That's interesting, because the pies there I'm least likely to go back for are the cream pies. Just too ... much, really. The banana cream, while fresher and more natural tasting than almost any other banana cream I've ever had, almost killed me, like eating near-butter solid cream with shaved white chocolate on top. I mean, don't get me wrong - I ate the whole slice! But it was pretty unforgiving sitting there in my stomach, taunting me for my gluttony. The chocolate cream wasn't as over the top, but it was still too much for my tastes. I think they excel at the in-between pies: those chocolate/lemon chess pies, the sugar cream (which is distinctive enough that it doesn't taste like a rich pudding). The fruit pies are delicious, but to my tongue more prone to variation. Still, I really want to try that blueberry apricot. What a great sounding combination!

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A branch of the Chicago Public Library will soon be opening in the Goldblatt's building across the street from Hoosier Mama. I've been helping to get the new space ready, so I finally got to try a few of the pies. I adored the pecan slice, and the apple pie slice I bought for myself. But, the real hit was the Apricot Blueberry pie I bought to take back to my employees. I've discovered how to buy their love.

Hi All,

I manage the Unicorn Cafe in Evanston and we order 2-3 pies from Hoosier Mama every week. Do you have any particular types you think we should carry?

I've been eagerly awaiting the opening of this library. In a perfect world, inside all CPLs would be a Hoosier Mama Pie cafe. Across the street, especially since it's in my neighborhood, is pretty close.

I seriously considered transferring to the new branch, but I quickly realized that I can't be that close to Hoosier Mama every day.

Hi, vallough, welcome! I think if you look back up through this thread, you'll see the kinds of pies that people here prefer. It seems that in general people love the custard pies, and the mixed-fruit versions.

I would also like to offer you and all the other purveyors of pie some general feedback - pie wilts in the microwave. If you can get a toaster or mini pizza oven to warm up the pies when it's requested, the pies will thank you.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

Vallough, nice of you to post!

I would suggest that you should indulge in the mixed berry pies. I have to agree, after a second tasting, with the poster that suggests that the blueberry apricot pie is a way to buy true love!

You may even want to post what pies are in on your website. I'd certainly check each week.

Meanwhile, I'd agree with the folks who suggest the more unusual pies. Bottom line, anyone can get a decent apple and cherry pie in Evanston, but lemon chess, buttermilk, or blueberry apple? Those pies create a market!

Really? Do tell?

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Ava-"If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake."- Jean Strickland

Horto In Urbs- Falling in love with Urban Vegetable Gardening

I'd like to know the answer to this as well. I live close to Hoosier Mama but work in Evanston and have on more than a few occasions transported dessert the 14ish miles because of what I perceived as the dearth of quality pies near my office.

Possibly this is in reference to the Achatz pies available at Whole Foods? They're not Hoosier Mama, nor can one get just a slice, but they are perfectly adequate, regular pie. For an outrageous price.

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Unicorn cafe in Evanston has both cherry and cherry berry right now and then come Thursday evening we'll also have the apricot-blueberry and the peanut butter (so exciting!). I'm going to start updating our facebook page when the new pies come in to keep everyone up to date.

This may be met with scorn by some, but I have developed a fondness for the sack apple pie at Bennison's bakery in Evanston, and you can also get a decent cherry pie from them, usually requiring a special order. Heck, even Tag's on Central can do a decent Dutch apple pie.

And I have been known to drive over to Myron and Phil's just to get some of their apple pie, although I have not been there in the past six months.

I concede that Hoosier Mama's apple and cherry are better, but I live and work in Skokie, and the drive to Hoosier Mama's can be oppressive. Especially since once I got there on Friday, I found out they were at Lollapalooza - maximum bummer. I wish Paula's web guru had the decency to post the closing clearly on the home page, instead of burying it in the order entry system. As an IT geek myself, that was very uncool.

But I'll still go back for more whenever I have a car and I'm in the neighborhood.

Just a bump on this topic for fans... Today, October 1, starts the season for orders for Thanksgiving pies from Hoosier Mama Pie Company.

We heard from the folks at the store that they expect heavy orders, since the Bon Appetit article naming them one of the 10 best pie places in America may generate lots of new business.

http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2010/10/top_10_places_for_pie

We saw pumpkin back in the store yesterday, with the lovely pastry oak leaves, and tried a new cranberry chess pie that had my better half's head spinning. She loves her cranberries, and couldn't imagine how they would work in a chess pie. Suffice it to say, they work very well indeed! And the pear bourbon vanilla pie certainly met this bourbon aficionado's tastes quite nicely.

I tried the Ginger Pumpkin Cheesecake on Friday. Normally I dislike cheesecake and avoid it but this piece of pie can convert me. I look forward to the next slice.

I've been cutting back on my sweets recently, but today I was out with a ZipCar and after produce shopping at Stanley's and grabbing some tacos al pastor at Tierra Caliente, I couldn't help but stop for pie. Pear, apple, cranberry pie with a crumb topping - oh yeah. Tender fruit retaining its structural integrity, a good balance between sweet and tangy, and flaky, buttery crust.

I could care less who wins the football game today, I'm just happy I've got a slice of key lime set aside for after dinner.

-Dan

Just for the cognoscenti, Hoosier Mama will be closed between Jan 30 and Feb 4 (shown on the ordering page of their website) for "remodeling." I hope they don't lose the charming three tables in the front, and get more space to make more pies!

I was in yesterday, and not only was there magnificent apple/pear/cranberry pie, but something I hadn't seen before - fig pear pie.

The folks (moderators?) who commented in the Frontera thread that Hoosier Mama deserves a pedestal, are absolutely right.

I know this is an old quote but I finally made it to Hoosier Mama Pie last night. I intended to eat a slice it but it was packed and more folks kept coming in behind me.

I grabbed a slice of classic apple to go.

This pie was fantastic! The crust was not soggy in the least. It was durable & delicious. The apples were firm and delicious.

Can't wait to go back!

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Ava-"If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake."- Jean Strickland

Horto In Urbs- Falling in love with Urban Vegetable Gardening

We stopped in here yesterday on our way out of the city. We grabbed a slice of the Chocolate Cream Pie (of course!), a slice of the Sour Cream Cranberry (different), and an individual chicken pot pie to share for dinner (we had lunch at Kuma's).
Simply put, everything was delicious! I had been wanting to try her pies for a couple of years and am so glad we took a detour. The Chicken pot pie was unbelievable! The crust was flakey, crispy, buttery... the filling was creamy. The Chicken moist, the Veggies not overly cooked. Of the two pies, I liked the fruit pie better, my husband the cream one. Either way, they were perfect and I cant wait to go back and try something else.

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Christina~~