Pie Lovers Unite!
Last year's Pie Lover's Hootenanny was so successful we're doing it again at 7:00pm on Saturday, July 25th, 2009! Don't miss this year's best PIE event!

Date: Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Time: 7:00pm

Location: Ypsilanti Ladies Literary Club

Address: 218 N. Washington (at Emmet), Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/365cu2

Parking: Will be available next door at the First Presbyterian Church, 300 N. Washington

Admission: One homemade pie/family (or $5/person donation)

Slow Food Huron Valley announces our 3rd Annual Pie Lovers Unite! celebrating local, sustainable food and our food community at an old-fashioned hootenanny glorifying Great Michigan Pie.

Pies are a great example of how local, seasonal foods can signify welcome and community with unique regional qualities. The Pie Lovers Unite! event will honor pie-making traditions in Michigan by inviting people to bake, bring, share, and taste pies from around the area.  Pie Lovers Unite! will bring together our pie-loving community with fun, pie-themed activities.

This event started as part of the Pie Across America/Eat Well Guided Tour bus tour across the United States, celebrating local food in more than 25 towns on its way to the Farm Aid concert in New York City in 2007. We won the "Best Pie Event" award from the tour in 2007.

Once agine, we're determined to put our region on the map as a place where people are working together to reinvigorate our local food system and celebrate our local food traditions. When the theme is PIE – it doesn't get much better. We're planning a “pie walk,” a pie contest with prizes, recipe swap, pie music, pie quotes and of course PIE EATING - all with a focus on what's local, sustainable, and delicious!

Again this year - a Pie-ku contest. Bring your haiku with a pie theme or dream one up while you're in the presence of dozens of fabulous pies. Remeber the haiku rule for syllables: 5-7-5.

Admission

Admission to Pie Lovers Unite! costs one pie. We really want you to make and bring a pie, but we'll also take a ($5/person) donation. Bring your friends, tell your neighbors and get your t-shirt. We're hoping to see you there!

Categories for the Pie Contest will be:

- Best use of local ingredients in the pie (please include recipe and sources to be considered in this category!)

- Best pie crust

- Prettiest pie

- Best savory pie

- Most unusual (but yummy!) pie - this is your chance to re-define what "pie" means

- Kids' pies (made by kids age 15 and under)

For each pie that you enter in the pie contest, we'll ask that you submit the recipe with a list each of the ingredients in your pie AND where each of those ingredients was produced. Please bring a 4 x 6 recipe card with this information, or we'll provide you with one at the event. At some point, we hope to produce a cookbook after the event.

Important: Deadline for submissions to the pie contest is 7:15pm on Saturday evening.

Local Producers, Roasters, and Businesses Who Have Contributed to Pie Lovers Unite!

Beezy's Cafe - Located in beautiful, historic Ypsilanti with 2 homemade soups along with fresh salads and sandwiches every day, Beezy's serves "simple, honest food" in a cozy, friendly atmosphere.

Downtown Home and Garden - Gardening, greenhouse, cookware and housewares in historic livery stable. And Zingerman's bread and pastries!

Eden Foods - This wonderful Clinton, Michigan business is the "oldest natural food company in North America, and the largest independent manufacturer of 'dry grocery' organic foods." Many of Eden's (organic!) products are grown and processed right here in Michigan!

Mighty Good Coffee - High-quality, small batch roaster located in Ann Arbor, delivers to you within 24 hours of roasting. Now with a new shop location on Ann Arbor's Main Street.

Nicola's Books - Our fabulous "premier, independent bookstore" on Ann Arbor's west side.

Old Pine Farm - Meat CSA (beef, pork, chicken, eggs) using humane and organic practices. Many heritage breeds on lovely farm pasture.

Pot and Box - Beatuful garden fresh bouquets and magnificent potted plants, available at Everyday Wines in Kerrytown.

Stucchi's Ice Cream - Premium ice cream and frozen yogurt, made in Saline from Michigan milk. Locally made, locally owned and operated.

Westwind Milling - Local and organically grown and milled wheat, corn and rye flours. With a store selling their own bread and baked goods, and the products of around 25 other local farms and producers. Located in Argentine, MI.

Zingerman's - The fabulous family of businesses and world famous deli in Ann Arbor.

Ypsilanti Ladies Literary Club