Welcome to Confessions of a Pie Hole

It began many years ago, with the tart lemon meringue pie topped with perfectly whipped meringue served up in mom’s kitchen with a pie crust that remains unchallenged. The pie, of course, was made from scratch. As was her Boston cream pie, vanilla cake layered with homemade custard and drizzled with warm semi-sweet chocolate sauce. Pies were a specialty of hers, and still are, evolving over the years from basic apple, lemon and pumpkin into trendy chocolate pecan and, of course, coconut cream. So, pie is in my blood. (And maybe on my hips.) And then, last March, while on a family vacation in Maui, I wandered into Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop, a roadside stop just south of Lahaina that has lineups snaking out into the parking lot and, inside, a display case full of pie heaven. Peanut Butter, Olowalu Lime, MacNut Chocolate Praline, Berry, Banana Cream and Coconut Cream, dreamy little pies in three- and five-inch shells, all buttery flaked crust and fresh flavourful ingredients. Back in paradise, with a pieinfused muffin top in place of my waist, I wondered if Metro Vancouver had discovered the perfect petite sweet pie. Turns out that mini pies are big business these days, and because summer demands special treats, I will be telling you over the next few weeks where to get the best big and small pies around town. I’m also hoping that you’ll put me on the trail of your favourite pie places, so that I can report back to readers and perhaps do a little taste testing along the way, because it would be rude not to and because quality control is important. No mass-produced, please. We are talking pies made with fresh, preferably local, ingredients and divine crusts that don’t taste like cardboard. Pies that others can buy, from here to Hope. And sweet pies only, because savoury isn’t summery. Send your suggestions to sfralic@vancouversun.com, and I will set out in search of pie greatness. Today, we launch the Confessions of a Pie Hole series in Fort Langley, where Diane Morrison serves up a divine little coconut cream pie — among other pie delights — at her Wendel’s Bookstore & Cafe in the heart of the village.