FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Three Fayetteville bakers claimed top prizes at the 2023 Arkansas Pie Festival, held Saturday, April 29 in Cherokee Village.
The Festival’s best overall pie was created by Pink House Alchemy’s baker Hannah Davis. The Bee’s Knees pie is based on the Pink House cocktail of the same name. Davis describes it as a toasted coconut pie crust with lemon curd that was infused with pH lavender syrup and a toasted coconut pudding topped with pH-dehydrated lemons and lavender.
Kat Robinson, author, and Arkansas food historian, is co-chair of the Arkansas Pie Festival and head judge. She said, “The Bee's Knees pie was an absolute delight, from appearance to bite. The gorgeously appointed cream top only hinted at the lemon and lavender flavor beneath, a citrus flavor with a light, almost peppery bite in a cool and smooth pie. Our judges were surprised by the sophistication and simplicity of this modern marvel.”
As the overall best winner of the Arkansas Pie Festival, Davis was granted a “Golden Ticket” – an automatic entry in the National Food Championships dessert competition, to take place in Dallas in November.
In the non-commercial division, Fayetteville resident Sarah Bryant took home First Place honors as well as the “Pie in the Sky” Judges’ Choice awards with her “Sweet Bacon Delight” pie.
Robinson said, “This pecan and bacon collaboration offered a substantial protein-packed flavor, with a nice salty bite.”
Rymolene’s Pies took second place in the commercial division to Little Rock’s revered Community Bakery with a classic strawberry rhubarb pie.
According to Robinson, Rymolene’s pie “evoked a grandmother's kitchen, with fresh Arkansas strawberries and tart chunks of fresh rhubarb, in a marvelously crisp and pliant crust.”
The winning Fayetteville bakers will be celebrated at Fayetteville’s First Thursday on June 1.
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