You absolutely have to live up to a name like Pie Town and, at the Pie-O-Neer, that’s exactly what Kathy Knapp and her merry band of bakers do.
One of only two pie shops in Pie Town (stay tuned for a review of The Daily Pie, coming soon to this blog near you), the Pie-O-Neer is an Old West-style storefront complete with a porch and a swinging screen door. As we stepped in, Kathy greeted us with a cheery “Come on in, we’re closed!” Fortunately, she still had a couple of slices left of her famous O.P. Pie (that’s oatmeal and pecan) and Apple Crumb Pie. But the highlight of the visit—for me, at least—was the last pie to come out of the oven that day, the Cookie Pie: walnuts and oatmeal and golden raisins and apples, all cooked under a perfectly crunchy crust and served with a wonderful gob of vanilla ice cream on top. Seriously addicting.
Originally from Chicago, Kathy has spent the last 13 years making customers happy with her eclectic pie menu; she also serves a selection of freshly made sandwiches and the ubiquitous chili cheeseburgers. Her bakery/café/shop holds an intriguing collection of new stuff and found objects, and includes a library with titles as varied as the clients who walk through the door—some books are for borrowing, others are for buying, and if you have anything in your car that you’ve already read, donations and trades are encouraged. A display case holds copies of the Pie Town Cookbook, a selection of natural salves and handmade soaps, Native American jewelry, pottery, pine needle baskets and some really cool hand-painted gourds called “Galloping Gourds”. There’s also a small rack of super soft, 100% cotton, hand-dyed T-shirts appropriately named “Cop-a-Feel” for the textured patches they have on the front.
When you order, don’t be surprised if the waitress pulls up a chair to chat while she writes it down. It’s just that kind of a place—and you’ll be so glad it is.
The Pie-O-Neer is open Friday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s right off Highway US 60—you can’t miss it as you drive through town.
PS: In the immortal words of Kathy herself: “If you bake it, they will come”… And some have come from hundreds of miles away! Read on below… Also, here’s a link to a great article on Pie Town published in the Smithsonian Magazine.
http://www.roundamerica.com/pie-places.htm
http://www.joeberkovitz.com/blog/2007/05/16/new-mexico-episode-1-the-church-of-cartesian-space/
http://flapjackflanny.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
http://www.sunset.com/sunset/food/package/0,20869,714295,00.html
http://allbutthedissertation.blogspot.com/2007/11/pie-town-part-2.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/351840748/
