Welcome to Sugar High, a series devoted solely to spotlighting the best ways to sate a sweet tooth in St. Louis. We'll sample the best the city has to offer at restaurants, bakeries and holes-in-the-wall, and provide some insight on how these confections are made along the way.
It's no surprise that the holidays are the busiest time of the year for shops like Pie Oh My (2719 Sutton Boulevard, Maplewood; 314-704-4416). For Thanksgiving, owner Jane Callahan and her hardworking staff baked a total of 600 pies for special orders. For Christmas, Callahan came up with even more seasonal twists on her specialty pastries for folks to take home. In addition to traditional options -- including apple and chocolate-bourbon pecan -- pie lovers can find eggnog cream, cranberry cream cheese, and perhaps the most quintessential flavor combination of all: pumpkin-maple pecan pie.
See also: First Look: Pie Oh My
The pie begins with Callahan's signature crust, which utilizes both butter and shortening -- the latter for flakiness, and the former for that unmistakable homemade flavor. Maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness to a filling of pumpkin puree along with cinnamon and ginger for warm spice. A garnish of butter, flour, brown sugar and pecans lends a nutty, crunchy component to put it over the top -- the locally sourced Missouri Northern Pecan Growers' product is smaller and sweeter than the typical variety, and it adds that extra-special touch.
Patrons can order Callahan's desserts in a number of sizes including mini, tart-size, five-inch deep dish and a full-size pie that serves up to eight. Look for Pie Oh My's food truck, or wander into the Maplewood storefront to choose from its rotating everyday selection featuring eight to ten sweet options, as well as a take-and-bake savory pot pie. Place an order before it's too late -- the comforting taste of the holidays readily awaits.
Previously on Sugar High: - Annie Moons' Banana-Split Muffins - Cyrano's Carrot Cake - Whitebox Eatery's Cheese Pastry - Comet Coffee's Mousse Cakes - Whisk's Apple-Cinnamon "Pop Tartlets" - The London Tea Room's Blueberry-Lemon Cake - Corner 17's Fluffy Ice - The Fountain on Locust's "Banana Bourbon" Sundae - Vinnie's Pinwheel Baklava - Red Fox Baking & Catering's Lemon Tart - Sugarfire Smokehouse's Crack Pie - Russell on Macklind's Coconut Cake - The Kitchen Sink's Sweet Potato Fries - Giovanni's Kitchen's Panna Cotta Trio - Crepes Etc.'s Crepe Cake - Cafe Ventana's Beignets - Frida's Raspberry-Chocolate Avocado Mousse - India Palace's Gulab Jamun - Melt's "Violet Beauregarde" Waffle - Brevan's Patisserie's "Brendan" - Winslow's Home's Chocolate Cake with Espresso Meringue - La Patisserie Chouquette's Eclair - Black Bear Bakery's Raspberry Oat Bar - Gelateria's London Fog Gelato - 4 Seasons Bakery's German Cheesecake - Libertine's "Candy Bar" - Cleveland-Heath's Old Fashioned Cherry Pie - Schlafly Tap Room and Bottleworks' Sticky Toffee Pudding
We're always looking for some sweet ideas. E-mail the author at [email protected].
