Santa Barbara's Spectacular Pie Contest

As we head into the holidays, we inadvertently start craving (and making) more comfort food.  Comfort food, like comfort itself, comes in many shapes and sizes.  For some, it is their family Thanksgiving turkey stuffing, for others it is mashed potatoes. For my 5 year old daughter it is undoubtedly gummy bears. One thing that’s on everyone’s comfort food list is pie.  The idea of pie immediately evokes the sense of home, coziness, tradition, and of course, comfort.  Santa Barbara’s Spectacular Pie Contest (in its 3rd year) combines all these attributes and then some.  The recipe for the event is simple:  pie makers enter their pie into the contest, people gather to eat every one of them to the last crumb, judges and eaters cast their respective votes, and the winners receive prizes from sponsors along with some serious small town fame.  What drew me to contribute to this event last year by sponsoring one of the prizes was the fact that the proceeds from the event went to Santa Barbara Transition House, and thus to the people in our community who lack the basic level of comfort—a home.  This year’s proceeds will go to another local charity that provides nourishment to the less fortunate: Santa Barbara Food Bank.  And again this year, for all the same reasons, FOLD is proud to join the event as a sponsor. 

Below are some photos capturing some of the moments of the 2016 Pie Contest, with all the credits at the end of the post. 

2017 Santa Barbara Spectacular Contest Information: {UPDATED}

Sunday, January 28, 2018
3-6 PM
Potek Winery//406 E. Haley Street #1, Santa Barbara, CA

To enter as contestant, follow this link.

Welcome/Registration table backdrop featuring contributing sponsors//artwork by event organizers Joya Rose Groves and Leela Cyd

One of the pies in the line-up.  Contestants came up with clever ways to describe and name their creations. Signs by Joya Rose Groves. Foraged seasonal garland by Olivetta Flowers and Foliage.

The cutest contestants arriving to the event.  Every contestant has to bake two identical pies. 

Crowds lining up outside Potek Winery for their slice (or two).  Popular votes are being cast. Judges are getting ready to deliberate. 

The aftermath (and a glimpse of the linen runners supplied by FOLD to style the pie feasting tables). 

One of the winners proudly receiving my screen printed towel as a prize.  Original artwork by Joya Rose Groves. 

The courtyard at Potek Winery looking festive with our linen garland and greenery by Ella & Louie. 

Event organizers: Leela Cyd and Joya Rose Groves
Event Illustration/Graphic Design: Joya Rose Groves
Location: Potek Winery at The Mill
Table Linens: FOLD
Photography: Viktoriya Filippova, FOLD
Table greenery: Olivetta Flowers and Foliage

Easy as Crumble

Ever wondered why the saying goes "easy as pie"?  I wondered this myself this past Memorial Day weekend, when every foodie Instagram account I follow featured their take on the all-American dessert and shamed me for not making a pie of my own.  I have actually never made a pie in my whole life, ever.  Because I am intimidated.  Because it actually never seemed easy to make, despite the saying.  Somehow I wouldn't allow myself any cheating, either, like (gasp!) buying a pre-made frozen crust.  And every time I even think about making a pie, I always come back to this recipe from Ina Garten.  No, it is not pie, it is not even a half a pie, it is a crumble. It hits all the right points (flaky crust, oozy filling, etc.) but takes very little time and effort to make.  Here are the ingredients:

2 cups of flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 sticks of butter, diced
1-2 lbs of stone fruit, pitted and sliced

Heat the oven to 400 c.

Mix all the ingredients by hand or a mixer, making sure not to cream the butter. This is perhaps the only tricky part of this recipe.  It is best to keep the butter as cold as possible during this step and not let it get to room temperature.  I prefer to mix by hand, gently breaking up the chunks of butter, and gently tossing the mixture together. The mixture should be "crumbly", not uniform. 

Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumble mixture onto a 9-inch pie dish or a springform pan in an even layer, pushing the mixture up the sides of the pan.  I use a flat-bottom glass for this step.

Arrange the sliced fruit in a circular pattern, skin side down.  Sprinkle the remainder of the mixture over the fruit.  

Bake 40-50 minutes, or until the juices start bubbling up and the tart starts looking deep golden brown.

Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!