Jess went back “home” to New Jersey for a weekend. An unfortunate coincidence was that this was the same weekend as our Church’s Dessert Bake-Off. All our friends assumed Jess would dethrone the reigning champ with one of her pies. They breathed a collective sigh of disappointment/competitive relief when word got ’round that a Pie would be missing.

Jess decided that instead of not entering a pie, why don’t I, the Pie Man to her Pie Woman make one.

Jess is a woman that is profuse with consistently fantastic ideas, so, I dutifully followed her suggestion. The Dessert Bake-Off would have a pie from a Gelineau after-all.

I have seen a few pies made in my life (like, 120 or so) so, I was clear on the basics. From one layman to maybe another, here’s the step by step for us the NORMAL, casual, pie bakers.

Crust Into Dish…. Okay, crust isa hard part, and to be honest with you, Jess made that part for me ahead of time. I am only one man.

Sugar on Berries, Makes ’em good.
Surround the sugared berries in a cloud of a starch.

Pitch that happy family into the crust.

Cover the fruit with some more carbs.

Bake until it looks like you may not be able to resist eating the whole kit and caboodle.

I was happy with how it came out, and wished it luck at the competition.

(Note the sage and discerning Judge in the background).

The Man Pie came in second place!