Pie is concentrated, sugary goodness. The primary crust compliments the filling as it contains it. For each filling, there is a range of crusts, of which crumbles are probably the best. Graham Cracker crumble is surprisingly more delicious than the crackers on their own while Oreo crusts take pies into a new level of sugar content. The fillings themselves are what make pies truly amazing confections. Berry and other fruit pies add a combination of sweet and tangy flavors that are as old as baking. Each bite is a gooey stimulation bringing the taste of the best products of plants combined and enhancing the flavors of the berries and sugars in the pie. The risk of scalding hot lava goo is well worth the reward of a classic dessert. Pudding pies bring an already excellent dessert into a more functional form by containing the pudding in the crust. They can have the variations of delicious pudding and a variety of textures. They can also have surprising and unusual flavors such as pecan, which after much hesitation and trepidation turns out to be delicious. The toppings of the pie start with the variations of crust decoration if it is covered at all. These can be cut into intricate pictures or layered as a basket-weaver’s strips. They bring an artistic touch into the culinary achievement that pies embody. From there, pies can be topped with decorative slivers of chocolate or fruits. They often have cream, iced or whipped, to accompany them. The combination of the sweat creams and the flavors in pie are naturally complimentary, and there brings an easy way to enhance the flavors that roll around on your tongue as you eat the pie.

My favorite pies are most likely key lime pie and chocolate silk pie. The latter is because of the association I have with them as the richest of desserts and holidays as it is always the pie our uncle would bring to the feasts. The former is due to its great combination of flavors that well balance the sour tastes of the lime, delicious citrus, and sugar in a texture I find particularly enjoyable. Both are rich in taste and flavor; both appeal to my sweet tooth. Warm or cold, pies are most often consumed in the fall and winter and have an associated joy of holidays with them. They are almost uniformly too much for a single person to consume, and so there is a comradery that comes with pies as well. The slices are most often made by each person as they take as much as suits their palates, and there is almost never conflict over how much a single person takes. In this, pie is an ultimate expression of joyful giving.