Here’s what we’ve found as we’ve traveled the local PDX web (complete with our comments) for November 23rd — a Thanksgiving cornucopia of links!

• How to Stop Unwanted Phone Book Delivery | Amanda Fritz’s blog – I’m very thankful to Amanda for this gem – she hasn't taken office yet, and already she's doing good!
• Neighborhood Notes | Thanksgiving Resource Guide – Dine Out or Take Out – Need a killer dish to bring, but don't trust your own cooking? Rather head out and have dinner in a restaurant? Check out this guide…
• How to save a ton of money by buying fresh organic produce | AlmostFit.com – Our own Metroknow explains how using a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) can help you save a significant amount of money on fresh, locally grown organic produce.
• Jalpuna! | It’s A Kazoo Christmas, 2008! – Can you hum? Do you know a few Christmas songs? Then *you* can help raise money for Kinship House on December 13th – right?
• Need Holiday Help? The Pie Commission is Standing By… – Portland's own Pie Commission (organizers of this summer's Pie-Off) welcomes *your* pie emergencies as Thanksgiving grows nearer. Plus – Lizzy's amazing pecan pie recipe!

Note: you can share bookmarks back to our site if you have a Mag.nolia account – just join our group and then send relevant links to that group when you mark a site, article, or post!

Related Posts

• March 30, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for March 30th (3)
• August 30, 2008 -- Pie-Off: Our Eyewitness Report (14)
• August 28, 2008 -- My Winning Pie-Off Strategy (11)
• August 9, 2008 -- OurPDX shared bookmarks for August 9th (0)
• July 29, 2008 -- Mmmm…pie! (3)

We went (my young daughter and I, that is.) We brought pies. We joined the predicted hordes (over 100 people there to witness the event, with 49 pies entered into the competition.) We watched carefully as the judges were put through their paces trying said 49 pies (I understand from Gary’s wife that he’d been practicing his ‘non-committal’ faces so as not to give anything away!)

And while we waited, we got a chance to catch up with a bunch of cool local people: @DrNormal and @camikaos from the Strange Love Live podcast; event organizers (let’s hear a huge round of applause for the Pie Commission ladies!) @LizzyCaston, @leloinnopo, and @radiogretchen—in fact, it seemed as if we knew most of the people there!

Finally, they announced the results (and here’s judge Jack Bogdanski’s report.) While my own creation didn’t win anything, I’m happy and proud to announce that OurPDX has ties to two of the winners.

First, our own Tricia won for her stellar tomato pie entry—both for best savory pie and best overall pie—hooray, Tricia! (If you want to try one of these wondrous creations, you can drop by Tricia’s booth Sundays at the Montavilla Farmer’s Market!)

But here’s the win closest to my own heart (not to mention pocketbook and/or kitchen): Zoe Richter (yes, my ten year old daughter, rockin’ a LeLo original apron in that photo) took home the Best Mash-Up Pie blue ribbon for her S’More Pie (which she’s now calling her S’mores Without Fire pie.) Yes, she made it herself. Yes, she’d be happy to make one for you. (In fact, she’s now talking about following in Kir Jensen’s footsteps and opening up her own mini-bakery—you know, after school in her spare time, of course.)

And then everyone ate the rest of the pies.

Yep, it was a great afternoon. And now? I think it might be post-sugar, post-adrenaline nap time…

Were you there? What did you think? Should we do it again next year?

Related Posts

• August 28, 2008 -- My Winning Pie-Off Strategy (11)
• August 9, 2008 -- OurPDX shared bookmarks for August 9th (0)
• July 29, 2008 -- Mmmm…pie! (3)
• August 10, 2009 -- Only 6 More Days ‘Til Pie Nirvana! (4)
• June 4, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for June 4th (0)

Yes, I’m one of the hordes of people who will be baking a pie and taking it down to Washington Park on Saturday for the Pie-Off.

Yes, that Pie-Off—the one WWeek featured earlier this week, the one that had potential contestants on Twitter grousing about how “intimidating” it sounded now.

Intimidating? Who cares that an 8-time winner of blue ribbons at the Oregon State Fair might be showing up, pies in hand? Or that the new darling of the food cart scene, Sugar Cube pastry chef Kir Jensen, is one of the judges? See, I’m determined—and I’ve got my three-part strategic plan down, baby. I don’t even mind revealing it to y’all, either:

1. Pick a niche. Anyone can try for the Best Pumpkin Pie, or Best Creme Pie. But I’m going to strike a pose for originality, myself. (Just you wait and see!)
2. Develop a schtick. See, my daughter and I are showing up as the mother-daughter team, each with our own pies. And I dare those judges to look into my angelic child’s eyes (or see her modeling her own custom hand-crafted LeLo apron) and deny her a ribbon…

which leads to item number three

3. Suck up to the judges. Starting…now. Oh, Mr. Bogdanski? Have I told you lately how much I love you? (In a purely admiring and/or platonic way, of course.) And Gary Walter—your children are both beautiful and clearly, undeniably intelligent. (They must take after both parents.) Kir? I don’t know you personally, but I love what you do. (Also see previous sucking-up above.)

Sure, I could just decide to rock it out with a world-class pie or something. And who knows—I just might. But in this season of political maneuverings and/or shenanigans, it may not hurt to have a little something-something in your back pocket—if you want to walk away with a blue ribbon, that is.

Soooo—bring it. Saturday at 3 pm at Washington Park.

We’ll be waiting…!

Related Posts

• August 30, 2008 -- Pie-Off: Our Eyewitness Report (14)
• August 9, 2008 -- OurPDX shared bookmarks for August 9th (0)
• July 29, 2008 -- Mmmm…pie! (3)
• August 10, 2009 -- Only 6 More Days ‘Til Pie Nirvana! (4)
• June 4, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for June 4th (0)

Here’s what we’ve found as we’ve traveled the local PDX web (complete with our comments) for August 9th

• Peterson’s saved (Jack Bog’s Blog) – Thanks to Bojack, The Merc & others for keeping the spotlight on this story until justice was done!
• The Bite of Oregon: Day 1 Photo Gallery – The Lunch Lady over at Stumptown Lunch went to The Bite both Friday and Saturday for me (can't squeeze it in my own agenda) – check out the photos & commentary, or follow her on Twitter: stumptownlunch.
• Pie-Off!: And yes, the pies will be judged – Hmmm…that means it's time for me to suck up to the intelligent, discerning, all-knowing judges, no? Yes!

Note: you can share bookmarks back to our site if you have a Mag.nolia account – just join our group and then send relevant links to that group when you mark a site, article, or post!

Related Posts

• August 30, 2008 -- Pie-Off: Our Eyewitness Report (14)
• August 28, 2008 -- My Winning Pie-Off Strategy (11)
• July 29, 2008 -- Mmmm…pie! (3)
• August 10, 2009 -- Only 6 More Days ‘Til Pie Nirvana! (4)
• June 4, 2009 -- OurPDX shared links for June 4th (0)

It started (as all good things do lately, it seems) on Twitter.

The pie smack talk, that is.

Lelo may have been boasting about the blackberry pie she had cooling on her counter just then. Or RadioGretchen might have been talking about never, ever having made a peach pie before. Maybe it was LizzyCaston bragging about her mom’s famous Lemon Chess Pie recipe.

Next thing you know, well – some people now have to put up or shut up. Yep, their good pie-baking reps are now on the line. Others just want to volunteer for the oh so onerous task of judging. And there’s even a new #mmmpie hashtag you can use to follow the madness.

Yes, it’s a Pie-Off!

So sharpen up those forks and knives, mark your calendars for Saturday, August 30th at 3 pm (at a location to be determined), and offer up your finest pies.

And yes, I’ll be there with my own humble creation. (I’m thinking peach-blueberry, which means I’d better get to freezing some of those Oregon blueberries soon…!)

Related Posts

• August 10, 2009 -- Only 6 More Days ‘Til Pie Nirvana! (4)
• August 30, 2008 -- Portland MEAT Pies – Pie Off (12)
• August 30, 2008 -- Pie-Off: Our Eyewitness Report (14)
• August 28, 2008 -- My Winning Pie-Off Strategy (11)
• August 9, 2008 -- OurPDX shared bookmarks for August 9th (0)