The Pie Society Delivers Edible Joy to Central Austin

Are cupcakes soooo 2010? Even though Austinites still love to scoop up gourmet cupcakes from local favorites like Hey Cupcake and Sugar Mama’s, those who are in the know for 2011 food trends are seeking a different sweet treat: pie.

Yep, the all-American classic is back, even if it looks a bit different. This time around, they’re taking notes from the portability and ease of consumption offered by last year’s big trend and adding a smaller, bite-sized option. One Austin business, in particular, The Pie Society, is now taking the pie trend to a new level with sweet and savory pies and a free delivery service to spread the love.

Co-founder Emily Ingle, who shares the business responsibilities with Lindsay Leslie, tells us pies are important to them because “we grew up eating and making pies with our grandmothers and mothers. You can put a lot of love into pies – you’ve gotta love what you do.”

The Pie Society specializes in Crimps, essentially a small pie in a ball form: a yummy filling inside of a round, flaky crust. Of course, they also offer full-sized pies, plus quiches and tarts. A few flavor profiles that particularly stand out: savory Bacon, Nutella Surprise, Pumpkin Pecan, and savory Margherita. They also created a full-size signature pie for Austin – the Austin Crème Pie – with sweet potato pudding, chocolate ganache, cinnamon whipped cream, and a pistachio crust. As they say, “Keeping it weird … and delicious!”

Here’s how The Pie Society welcomes visitors:

Join us in the pie revolution. Sick of cupcakes, done with cake and never been of a fan of lollipops? Well, we are. We felt the humble pie has been missing from the Austin food scene, particularly a pie you can eat on the go. Pie makes us think of family (especially good ol’ grandma), warmth, comfort, happiness and, most importantly, home. When you eat a pie (or a Crimp*) from The Pie Society, we want you to feel like you’re at home — whatever and wherever that means to you.

A few notes about their delivery service:

• They only deliver in Austin and do not ship pies anywhere else (yet).
• Delivery is free!
• There is a timetable to be observed, but if you order by 10a.m., you can get crimps by 3 p.m. the same day. Full-size pies, quiches, and tarts require at least 24 hours.
• There is a minimum order of a dozen crimps or one whole pie.

Considering The Pie Society is a two-woman show, this is an impressive small business that has the potential to bring lots of edible joy to Austin. Emily says they’ve been very successful so far: “The response is great. People are ready for pie – it’s definitely time.”

Currently, their delivery service covers 10 zip codes, mostly in Central Austin, so if you’re working on an Austin home search and really, really love pies, you’ll want to be sure to check their coverage area. If you need help with that home search, you’ll want to touch base with Austin Realtor Brian Talley, who can’t wait to taste the Chocolate Meringue and the Banana Crème!

(Photo by Roxanne Jo.)