A slice of heaven
Joan Blanchard has been baking mile-high lemon meringue pies for more than 45 years
NEW GLASGOW, P.E.I. – Joan Blanchard says she has no intention of retiring anytime soon from her job making mile-high lemon meringue pies for the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers.
The 72-year-old New Glasgow resident is in her 46th summer baking pies for Islanders and tourists, and her goal is to stick around to hit the big 50 milestone.
The Guardian spent some time with Blanchard in the kitchen at the business on July 8. As she got ready for yet another day of baking, she threw up her hands when asked how many pies she has baked over the years – as if she’s wondering herself.
She does point out that, on a busy day, she would make about 110 pies, the majority of them lemon meringue, which has been a staple dessert at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers since it opened in 1958. She was hired in 1976 by former manager Ralph Dickieson to wash dishes.
“I told him I didn’t want to
do any cooking,’’ Blanchard said as she separated eggs for yet another lemon meringue pie. “I washed dishes maybe a month or so, and Ralph said he was going to start me on pies helping another lady.’’
Blanchard knew how to bake when she started; she just wasn’t sure if she wanted the pressure of doing it professionally.
“I was so nervous when I first started. We were making 60 lemon pies when I started. We also used to make 72 apple, 24 cherry and 14 raisin pies each day. That was just two of us. So, he put me out there to bake pies and I’ve been doing it ever since.’’
Blanchard adds they’ve since added coconut cream pie to the menu.
When she started, Blanchard and another woman shared two shifts. One of them was always tasked with an evening shift, making the pastry and rolling out the shells for the lemon pies for the next day.
“Now, there’s one shift and I do it all, but we’re not doing as many pies now because we have the strawberry shortcake. And that helps out.’’
Carl Nicholson, the current manager and part-owner, said he can’t put into words how valuable Blanchard has been to the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers.
“I’m just so proud and happy that we’ve been able to have her here,’’ Nicholson said. “She’s such an important aspect to the whole operation. She’s created a lot of memories for a lot of customers over the years.
“When they leave here, there are signature things they talk about. Joan’s pies have always been one of the top things they talk about.’’
Blanchard has been the subject of national attention for her pies.
The Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here did a feature on her as did CBC’s Great Canadian Food Show.
Blanchard says she has no idea why her pies get so much attention.
“This is what I don’t understand. It’s just a regular lemon meringue pie. Maybe I put more meringue in it than others do,’’ she chuckles. “I don’t do anything different. All I can say is the pastry is all made from scratch.’’ Nicholson offers a theory. “Joan puts so much heart and soul into the pie that you can taste that she’s doing her best every day,’’ he says.
“In this business … people don’t care that you’ve been in business 63 years. They want to know the pie you’re getting today is as good as the pie you got 10 or 20 years ago. To have that consistency is huge.’’
Marlene Bryenton of Charlottetown, who considers herself a regular customer, calls Blanchard’s lemon meringue pie a slice of heaven.
“The lobster supper is lovely, but the icing on the cake is the mile-high lemon meringue pie,’’ Bryenton says. “I would be the saddest person on earth if I finished my supper, ordered dessert and they didn’t have any left.’’
Blanchard said while she doesn’t think there’s anything special about her pies she can’t stop talking about the staff.
“The people I work for …’’ she says, pausing to find the words, “you wouldn’t find better people. Carl is one heck of a manager. It’s just like home. We’re just like a family here. Carl was little when I started here. Now, he’s got three kids and they’re all grown up and we’re like a family. Carl compliments me all the time and tells me what people say, and that feels good.’’
Blanchard is still going strong, working five days, although she said there was one summer she worked every single day. She admits to being tired at the end of a day, but Blanchard says she wouldn’t change it for the world.
“My husband knows better than to make me stay home,’’ she says when the subject of retiring comes up again. “As long as I’m able to work, why not? It’s the people I work for that make me want to come back.’’