Pie versus Cake--- State Champion: Pecan Pie!

Photo from Our State Magazine web page. 

Our State magazine recently had a contest to decide if North Carolina is a pie state or a cake state with voting to determine the results.  The February issue of Our State has a lot of information about and some great recipes for pies and cakes of North Carolina.

From Our State Magazine website.

 By February 14th the contest was down to the Elite Eight:  Four pies and four cakes.

Only eight desserts remained in Our State’s Pie versus Cake competition.

In the second round, top-seeded pecan pie continued its domination by easily routing peach pie, 70.4% to 29.6%. It now faced lemon meringue pie, which defeated sweet potato pie in a surprising upset.  And chocolate chess pie faced apple pie.

On the cake side, chocolate layer cake narrowly beat carrot cake, garnering 51.2% of votes to carrot’s 48.8%. Chocolate layer cake faced red velvet cake. And pound cake faced pineapple upside down cake.

I chose pecan over lemon meringue, but that was a close call for me.  It was easy for me to choose chocolate chess pie over apple pie.  In the cake category I voted for chocolate layer cake and pound cake. 

Now it's down to the final four: two pies and two cakes. It was Pecan Pie vs. Apple Pie and Pound Cake vs. Chocolate Layer Cake.  I voted for Pecan Pie and Pound Cake.

Pecan Pie.

Pound Cake.

In the final round it was Pecan Pie vs. Pound Cake.  Oh it was hard to choose between these two. Both are mighty good, but I voted for Pecan Pie. 

A person could vote each day for their favorite in each bracket (reminds me of the NCAA basketball brackets).  I voted on many days, and I was pulling for pecan pie to be the winner.

State Champion: Pecan Pie!

Pecan Pie, The Winner!!!!

And indeed the Pecan Pie did win.  I am making one this weekend in honor of its being the favorite pie in North Carolina.

Double Crusted Peach Pie

Old-fashioned double crust peach pie.

It is the peak of fresh peach season here in North Carolina, and I have a plentiful supply of peaches.  I had been to the Farmer's Market and bought a half peck and then a friend came by with a half peck for us.

Nice peaches from the Farmer's Market.

With all these peaches I decided to make an old-fashioned peach pie.  I went to one of my favorite internet sites for recipes All Recipes. Com and found this one. 

Old-Fashioned Peach Pie

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) package pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (or make your own).
1 egg, beaten 
5 cups sliced peeled peaches

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted the salt.)

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degree F).
2. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later.

   

   Brush crust with egg wash.

3. Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently.
   

   

   Slice peaches and add lemon juice.

   

   Dry ingredients mixed.

   In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
   
   
    Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam.
   
   

   

   Ready for oven.
4. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown too fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool before serving. This tastes better warm than hot.

Out of oven.

Ready to eat.

 Add a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!

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