What could be sweeter than a holiday devoted entirely to something as wonderful as pie? Especially homemade pie, the kind that’s made with quality ingredients, with love, and served up to pie lovers to make them happy?

If you’re a baker, then I hope you are celebrating the holiday in form: baking up a pie or two to share, dishing up delicious.

One idea: share a pie with those who really deserve one. Take it to the fire station, to the people running the rape crisis center or domestic violence shelter, or others who rarely get thanks and credit for serving our communities the way they do. Wherever your heart tells you to go, take it there. Your heart will be bigger.

Cheers to all my Pie Pals!

Your Pie Pal Gal,
Rebecca

Pie Class! If you've ever wanted to learn to make great pies, especially the crust part (and have it be easy from now on), this class is for you. Sunday, November 24, noon to 4.  Be ready for holiday pie season!

All classes are held at Three Sisters Kitchen in Albuquerque.

Be sure to register in advance. Get experience and confidence, guided by an expert baker.  • Learn from master pie baker, Rebecca Dakota, who has won a blue ribbon in every one of 18 categories at the NM State Fair Pie Contest (plus 5 “Best of Show” prizes). • Only $65, which includes 4 hours of personal demo/instruction, supplies, and ingredients to make your own pie to take home & enjoy.  Minimum age is 16 years.

You must register in advance, no later than 3 days before the class. Space is very limited! Sign up by contacting Rebecca at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..   She’ll send you the registration form and details!  

The NM State Fair Pie Contest is Sunday, Sept. 15th.  Get the whole scoop on how to enter here:  

https://d38trduahtodj3.cloudfront.net/files.ashx?t=fg&rid=NewMexicoStateFair&f=Food_Preparation_-_2019(2).pdf   Scroll to last page, “Section 204” for Pie Contest details and rules

Pie Classes! If you've ever wanted to learn to make great pies, especially the crust part (and have it be easy from now on), these classes are for you. Two more dates this fall: Sunday morning, Nov. 17, and Sunday afternoon, November 24.  Be ready for holiday pie season.

All classes are held at 3 Sisters Kitchen in Albuquerque. Details below.

Be sure to register in advance. Get experience and confidence, guided by an expert baker.  • Learn from master pie baker, Rebecca Dakota, who has won a blue ribbon in every one of 17 categories at the NM State Fair Pie Contest (plus 5 “Best of Show” prizes)! • Only $65, which includes 4 hours of personal demo/instruction, supplies, and ingredients fto make your own pie to take home & enjoy.  Minimum age is 16 years.

You must register in advance, no later than 3 days before the class. Space is very limited! Sign up by contacting Rebecca at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Let her know which class you want to attend.  She’ll send you the registration form and details!  

Pie Class! If you've ever wanted to learn to make great crust (and have it be easy from now on), this is for you. It's Thursday evening, August 8, at 3 Sisters Kitchen in Albuquerque. Details below.

Be sure to register in advance. Get experience and confidence, guided by an expert baker.  • Learn from master pie baker, Rebecca Dakota, who has won a blue ribbon in every one of 17 categories at the NM State Fair Pie Contest (plus 5 “Best of Show” prizes)! • Only $35, which includes 2 hours of personal demo/instruction, supplies, and ingredients fto make your own single pie crust (to fill at home later).  Minimum age is 16 years.

You must register in advance, no later than August 5th. Space is very limited! Sign up by contacting Rebecca at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. She’ll send you the details!

If you've ever wanted to learn to make great crust (and have it be easy from now on), this is for you. It's August 8th at 3 Sisters Kitchen in Albuquerque.

If you're in the Albuquerque area, here's your chance for a pie blowout.  It's a fundraiser for SAGE* and there will be all kinds of delicious pie for sale by the slice ~ or take your chance on willing a whole, homemade pie by participating in the pie walk!  Mmmm, will it be apple?  Pecan?  Blueberry?  Lemon? Best of all, you can donate a pie you made.  It's a good cause and every baker who brings a pie to donate will receive a "Pie Pals" refrigerator magnet to keep you inspired.  Please try to deliver your pie no later than 12:45. When:  Sunday, March 12 (as close as we could get to actual "pi day," which is 3.14).  Location:  Pie Paloosa at the N'MPower Center, 136 Washington SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106.  Time:  Starts at 1:00 p.m.  Come early for the best selection! *Pie Palooza benefits SAGE Albuquerque and their efforts to support LGBT elders. They provide training to senior service organizations on the unique challenges for older LGBT adults and they have ramped up efforts to create many more social opportunities for the older LGBT community. They offer 4 different monthly gatherings and are creating more events of interest all the time.  They are a 501 (c) 3 organization.

Orlando, Florida in late April?  Sure!  It’s lovely there then, and there’s pie.

The National Pie Contest is April 30^th and YOU can enter.  Here’s all of the scoop – rules and entry form for amateur bakers:  http://www.piecouncil.org/sites/default/files/2016%20Official%20Amateur%20Entry%20Form.pdf

It’s really quite a scene.  I went to film it in 2012 and was blown away by the acres of pies, laid out on end-to-end tables, waiting to be judged.  But don’t let that dissuade you from entering:  anyone can win and you’ll meet avid pie lovers from all over. 

In addition to the pie contest, there’s also a pie festival in town, where all things “pie” are available, including samples from some of the better commercial bakers in the country.  It’s worth the trip if you can get there!

If you want to learn more about the American Pie Council, here’s their web site:  http://www.piecouncil.org/Events/NationalPieChampionships

It doesn't matter to whom you give a pie:  it will make them happy.  On National Pie Day 2016, January 23, pick a person or group or place and take a pie over!  

Whether it's your favorite local non-profit, the first responders in your area, a senior center, the people who live around the corner, or even a complete stranger, celebrate your affection for them with pie.  

One of the many reasons I love pie is because it brings us together.  And it's round, like our precious Earth.  So give some pie away on the 23rd!  You will feel the love that comes around back to you.

If you share a pie on Pie Day, take a picture and send it with a note about your experience to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   I will post it!

Rebecca

The 2nd annual event will be held on August 29th here in Albuquerque.  Bakers are needed!!  All kinds of baked goods are welcome.  Get the entry scoop here and the event information here:   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

In addition to the chance to enter a baking contest, you can also enjoy fantastic poetry, presented by the poets.  You can bid on the winning cakes, pies, cookies and gluten-free goodies as they are auctioned off between poets.  It's a fun and interesting community-building evening.  Hope to see you there.  

GLSEN is the Gay Straight Education Network, a national organization that works to make schools safer for all children.  When invited, they provide professional development for teachers and school staff on how what the issues are for gay kids and how to intervene when kids don't feel safe, This ultimately helps the whole school population and helps children stay in school.  Our Albuquerque chapter is particularly wonderful and deserves our support!