American Pie Council Newsletter
www.piecouncil.org
Spring 2008
THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS LINGERS OVER ORLANDO
AT THE 2008 GREAT AMERICAN PIE FESTIVAL
SPONSORED BY CRISCO®
More than 25,000 Pie Lovers and Pie Bakers United in
Weekend of Competition, Family Fun and Of Course, Pie
Eating
It was a pie-lovers dream come true. For one weekend, April
19-20, thousands of pie lovers, pie bakers, celebrity chefs and
vendors of all things pie-related converged in the idyllic town
of Celebration, Fla., just outside Orlando, to celebrate a love
affair with what is arguably America’s most beloved dessert,
pie.
The 2008 Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco®
was the most successful in the event’s 14-year-history, with
more than 25,000 pie lovers in attendance and a recordsetting 50,000 slices in the Never-Ending Pie Buffet, which
was sponsored by a smorgasbord of local, regional and
national commercial bakeries, restaurants and markets.
The Food Network added an exciting presence at the pie
baking championship and throughout the weekend festival, as
film crews captured the thrills, spills and chills of every
competition and event to compile into a special program which
will air at a later date.
Among pie-eating contests, baking demonstrations, vendor
exhibits, games and live entertainment, the highlight of the
festival was the announcement of the winners of the APC
Crisco® National Pie Championships. Held annually since
1995, the National Pie Championships offer participants the
opportunity to test their pies against other top bakers
nationwide. The APC has established a standard of quality in
pie making on all levels.
During the championships, 123 of the nation’s leading
Commercial, Professional, Amateur and Junior Chef pie bakers
entered 867 pies and competed for honors and serious
bragging rights in their divisions. Competitions were held at
the host hotel, the Orlando Sun Resort by Lexington in
Kissimmee, and winners were announced at the Great
American Pie Festival on Saturday, April 19 and Sunday,
April 20, with the exception of the commercial division
winners, who were announced in a private reception on
Friday, April 18.
“Best of Show” grand prize winners included Professional pie
baker Dionna Hurt from Orlando, and former host of iVillage
Live’s cooking segment, who won the title, as well as $5,000,
Danielle Nettuno, 2008 Junior Chef Division Winner,
with Celebrity Chef Jon Ashton
Gale Gand, Food Network Celebrity
Chef and NPC Judge
Dionna Hurt, 2008 Professional
Division Winner
a Crisco® gift basket and a Four Points by Sheraton Gift
Basket for her “Bananas Foster Cream Pie”.
Amateur pie baker John Sunvold from Orlando won “Best of
Show,” $5,000, a Crisco® gift basket and a Four Points by
Sheraton Gift Basket for his “US Route 1: Florida Key Lime
with Maine Blueberries Pie”.
The winner of the Junior Chef Division was Danielle Nettuno
from Titusville, FL. who won the “Best of Show,” a $1,000 gift
certificate to Chef Depot, a Crisco® gift basket and a Four
Points by Sheraton Gift Basket for “Brown Sugar Streusel Pie”.
While no best of show is traditionally awarded in the
Commercial Division, more than 150 first place ribbons were
awarded among 447 entries. Bakers Square captured 22
category first place wins, the most awards given in this
division. Commercial Division categories consisted of: Familywholesale cost under $2; Premium-wholesale cost under $4;
Gourmet-wholesale cost under $6; Super Gourmet-wholesale
cost over $6; and Independent Bakers with pie sales under
$1,000,000.
Celebrity chef judges included Gale Gand, the executive pastry
chef and partner in Tru, a four-star, five-diamond dining
establishment in Chicago; Chef Jon Ashton, an English-born
culinary artist who is currently the Food Correspondent for the
nationally syndicated morning show “The Daily Buzz” and
Susan Bond, product development chef for Bakers Square.
At the festival’s close, a giant four-foot, 200 pound fruit-filled
pie was created, with slices sold to benefit Kids Cafe and
Second Harvest Food Bank in Central Florida.
AMATEUR BAKERS FROM COAST TO COAST
BRING HOME BLUE RIBBONS AT THE
APC CRISCO® NATIONAL PIE CHAMPIONSHIPS
First time entrant John Sunvold from Winter Springs, FL
almost didn’t make the Sunday Amateur Awards Ceremony
because he had already purchased concert tickets for that
evening. But as soon as John Marzich from Crisco gave John
his “$5,000 check,” he exclaimed, “Wow, am I glad I stayed
around for the ceremony!”
John impressed the APC judges with his “U.S. Route 1 Pie:
Florida Key Lime with Maine Blueberries.” This recipe includes
key lime, blueberry preserves and white chocolate mousse
layers in a graham cracker crust.
This year’s Crisco Classic Cherry first place winner was
another first time entrant, Jim Woodworth from Pueblo West,
CO, with his “All American Sour Cherry Pie.” Patricia Lapiezo
from La Mesa, CA was the Crisco Classic Chocolate winner
with her “California Mudslide Pie.”
Other Florida winners included Jeanne Ely from Mulberry for
her “Blueberry Mousse Pie,” Evette Rahman from Orlando for
her “Apple Yum Crumb Pie,” Alyson Osczepinski, also from
Orlando, for her “Butter Pecan Pie,” and Janet Ropp from
Edgewater with her “Back to the Islands Pie.” 2007 Best of
Show winner Carol Socier from Bay City, MI took a first place
ribbon in the Fruit & Berry category for her “Old-Time
Blackberry Pie.”
The 2008 APC Crisco National Pie Championships Best of Show
recipe, along with other first place recipes may be found on
www.piecouncil.org.
New sponsor Philadelphia® Cream Cheese had an
innovative winner in the “Double Chocolate Caramel Macchiato
Pie,” entered by Amy Clemons of Babson Park, FL. Amy
Clemons also won for her “Creamy Coconut Custard Pie” in
the Custard category. Another new sponsor, California
Raisin Marketing Board, also had a great winning pie,
“California Dream Raisin & Sour Cream Pie”, entered by baker
Karen Hall of Elm Creek, NE. This year’s Splenda® category
winner was Martha Campbell of Richmond, VA with her “Razzle
Dazzle Splenda Pie.”
Other contest winners included first place awards in both the
Peanut Butter and Pumpkin categories for Raine Gottess of
Champion’s Gate, FL. Raine’s pies were titled “Buckeye Pie”
and “October Fest Pie.” Christine Montalvo of Windsor Heights,
IA won in the Sweet Potato category for her “Sweet Potato
Pie.”
LInda Hoskins, APC Executive Director, with John Sunvold,
2008 Amateur Division Winner
“FOOD NETWORK CHALLENGE”
AT THE NATIONAL PIE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Food Network® Channel filmed each day of the 2008 APC
Crisco National Pie Championships to create a one hour “Food
Network Challenge” airing on television this fall.
This year, Food Network particularly focused on our
Professional Division bakers in the Baking Challenge Room on
Saturday, April 19th. Every Professional entrant was asked to
bake on site, so film staff could meet and get to know each
person in the competition. Film footage includes the highs,
lows and stresses associated with baking in this competitive
contest!
The filming continued Sunday in the judging room, including
participation by celebrity judges Gale Gand and Jon Ashton.
You won’t want to miss this exciting Food Network Challenge
this fall on Food Network!
Valarie Enters, Professional Division Crisco Winner
with Food Network film crew
APC COMMERCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL DIVISION
NATIONAL PIE CHAMPIONSHIPS WINNERS
APC introduced two new categories in the Commercial Division
NPC this year, California Raisin and Best New Product. The
new Raisin category especially was a great success, with a
total of 16 commercial pies entered. The winners in the Raisin
category were Bakers Square for three pies, “Raisin Supreme,
Rum Raisin With Walnuts and Chocolate Raisinet,” Bonert’s
Slice of Pie for “Apple Raisin Granola Pie,” and in the
Independent Bakers Division, Lisa’s Pie Shop for “California
Raisin Pie.”
Other first place Professional Division winners include: Susan
Boyle for “Heavenly Apple Crunch Pie,” Linda Hundt for
“Linda’s Key Lime and Raspberry Pie,” Dionna Hurt for “Razzle
Dazzle Raspberry Pie,” Andrea Spring for “Key West Crumb
Pie” and Suzie Sidhu for “Peanut Butterfinger Pie.”
The following are the winners in the Best New Product
category: Rocky Mountain Pies for “9-inch Fruit Basket Pie,”
Cyrus O’Leary’s for “Grasshopper Pie,” Publix Super Markets
for “Tangerine Pie,” and Hill & Valley for “No Sugar Added
Chocolate Truffle Pie.”
Other winners in the NPC Commercial Division include:
Bonert’s Slice of Pie, J. Horner’s Desserts, Harlan Bakeries,
Jessie Lord Bakeries, Schwan’s North American Consumer
Brands, Wayne’s Family Restaurant, Key West Key Lime Pie
Company, Sara Lee, Michele’s Pies, Lisa’s Pie Shop, Sweetielicious Pie Pantry, Lake Geneva Pie Company, Norske Nook,
Kroger Private Label, Gardner Pie Company, and Wicks Pies.
In the Professional Division, this year’s Best of Show winner
was Dionna Hurt from Longwood, FL, with her “Bananas
Foster Cream Pie.” In addition, Crisco sponsored two new
categories, Crisco Classic Cherry and Crisco Classic Chocolate.
Valarie Enters of Sanford, FL won both categories with her
“Better Than Grandma’s Cherry Pie” and “Ode to Phill Miner’s
French Silk Pie.”
From left: Larry Blagg, California Raisin Marketing Board (CRMB), Pamela
Williams, Susan Bond, Kara Phillips with VICORP Restaurants (Bakers
Square), and Melinda Coffman (CRMB)
THE AMERICAN PIE COUNCIL THANKS OUR EVENT SPONSORS
Crisco®
J. M. Smucker Company
Bonert’s Slice of Pie
BEMA
California Raisin Marketing Board
CM Packaging
Colborne Corp.
Four Points by Sheraton
General Electric
Harlan Bakeries
Holton Food Products
J. Horners, Bakers Square and Village Inn Restaurants
Key West Key Lime Pie Co.
Kitchen Craft Intl.
Kraft Foods/Philadelphia® Cream Cheese
Pillsbury
Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Pyrex®
Rocky Mountain Pies
Schwan’s North American Consumer Brands
Southeast Steel
Southeastern Paper Group
Splenda®
Velda Farms/Healthy Cow
Wick’s Pies
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT VOLUNTEERS
The most important group of people in attendance at the
Great American Pie Festival and National Pie Championships
were the event volunteers. We are thrilled to see that more
and more volunteers are traveling from all over the country to
be a part of this event. This year we had co-workers travel
together to volunteer as a team building exercise, families
volunteering together to spend time with one another, people
who wanted to learn about pies and people who just want to
lend a hand!
However, what is most notable is that over half of our 350
volunteers were residents of the community of Celebration,
FL. The Great American Pie Festival has been in the
community of Celebration since 2002 and we appreciate the
community support that we receive year after year. We value
the partnership that we have with the community, and look
forward to next year’s event April 23-26, 2009.
Tracey Delaney and Ann Whelan volunteering
"at the cooler" of the 2008 NPC
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
The APC welcomes the following new Commercial, Professional
and Personal Members:
Suzie Sidhu, “Pie Goddess,” prepares pies for Café Panini in
Enumclaw, WA.
Commercial Members:
Linda Loeffler of Mentor, OH prepares pies, muffins,
coffeecakes and cookies summer to fall for local farmer’s
markets.
Revere Packaging (division of Revere Industries) of
Shelbyville, KY is a manufacturer of aluminum foil and plastic
packaging.
Emile Henry USA of New Castle, DE manufacturers and sells
cookware, oven wear and table wear products, handcrafted in
France.
Pactiv Corporation Bakery & Confectionary Division of
Portland, OR is a full-line multi-material food packaging
manufacturer selling to bakery and confectionary processors.
JSO Associates of Great Neck, NY is a supplier of frozen
fruits, purees and fruit concentrates.
Lake Geneva Pie Company of Lake Geneva, WI is a
retail/wholesale business serving deli, quiche, cream and fruit
pies.
Monica’s Pies of Naples, NY is a family owned and operated
retail shop serving pies, tarts, jams, jellies and conserves.
Monica’s “Famous Grape Pie” is also available throughout the
year.
Howard Mallen of Sherman Oaks, CA is developing a unique
pie retail chain.
Professional Members:
Hans Van der Maarel is an account manager with CH Babb,
Co. a manufacturer of tunnel ovens and bakery automations
located in Raynham, MA.
Linda Hundt is the owner of Sweetie-licious Bakery Café in
DeWitt, MI.
Reenie Poulter is the owner of Hannah’s Grannas, a homebased pie and cake business located in Charleston, IL.
Andy Hilton prepares pies for The Hotel Tea Room and The
Desert Moon restaurants in Davenport, FL.
Kimm Moore prepares baked goods for Cobs Bread Bakery in
Kirkland, WA.
Consumer Members:
Eric Alvin
Eleanor Barton
Ellen Beckwith
Patricia Bernal
Nancy Beresh
Maria Braxmeier
Susan Buller
Martha Campbell
Pamela Cline
Chester Copeland
Linda Culver
Cindy Edelson
Rosemary Esposito
Bob Gibbons
Lois Gibbons
Cynthia Hibbard
Jeanne Holmes
Sheila Mack
Coleen McGuiness
Gary Peterson
Kristen Petersen
Kathy Porter
Crystal Recktenwald
Janet Ropp
Susan Schoppman
Karen Scocozza
Cathy Seeley
Stacy Small
Ralph Stanzione
John Sunvold
Amber Therrien
Erika Werkheiser
Marla Wolski
Kay Young
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Normal, IL
Loudonville, OH
Poughkeepsie, NY
San Diego, CA
Akron, OH
Pensacola, FL
Winter Haven, FL
Richmond, VA
Norton, VA
Berea, KY
Redmond, WA
New York City, NY
Glen Allen, VA
San Mateo, FL
Ocala, FL
Lake Geneva, WI
Goodlettsville, TN
Sanford, FL
Stony Point, NY
Mesa, AZ
Tucson, AZ
Colchester, VT
Deland, FL
Edgewater, FL
Ft. Wayne, IN
North Port, FL
New Concord, OH
Elizabeth City, NC
Homosassa, FL
Winter Springs, FL
Rochester, VT
Orlando, FL
Sanford, FL
Wheaton, IL
American Pie Council Board of Directors
Barbara Dolbee, Bonert’s Slice of Pie • Rick Barton, CM Packaging • Rich Hoskins, Colborne Corporation • Dennis Dipo, Cyrus O’Leary’s Pies
Susan Mahoney, Jessie Lord Bakery • Terry Browning, Publix Supermarkets • Mark Grandinetti, Rocky Mountain Pies
Cathy McCarthy, Sara Lee • Molly Litecky and Michael Gerber, Schwan's Bakery, Inc. • Sandy Swider, Starwood Properties
Mary Pint, VICORP Restaurants • Marsha Wickersham, Wick's Pies
Frank Nimesheim, Bowe, Bell and Howell, Associate Board Member.
Questions, thoughts, comments? Contact the American Pie Council
Linda Hoskins, Executive Director
(847) 371-0170
Nancy Mathieson, Membership Director
(847) 371-0101 x3394
American Pie Council
P.O. Box 368
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Fax: (847) 371-0199
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.piecouncil.org