Are We Near Phinney Ridge? A La Mode Pie

Seattle is huge! Neighborhood after neighborhood, with hills and parks and lakes at every turn. I have never been good with directions and I thank heaven every day for Google Maps on my iPhone. 

When Dan and I are out driving around town, I am known for shouting out, "Are we near Phinney Ridge?" at odd times throughout our day. The reason? The best pie I have ever had. Seattle roads twist and turn and though distinctive, I haven't quite pinned down in my mind WHERE the neighborhood Phinney Ridge is. So whenever we seem remotely close, I ask. Because I need pie. Specifically,
Bourbon Butterscotch at A La Mode Pies. 

I am happy to report that one day a few weeks ago, he said "Yes, we are!" and we had pie for no reason in the middle of a Sunday. It was wonderful.

Pi Day: A La Mode Pies in Seattle

It was March 14, 2015. March 14 is traditionally celebrated as Pi Day (3.14) and in honor of the occasion, everyone tries to eat pie.  This year the date 3-14-15 is the closest it will get to representing Pi, which is 3.1415926535897932....so everyone was even more willing to celebrate the coincidence.

Since it was Saturday and we had even more flexibility in our schedule, we ran errands and then drove over to A la Mode Pies in Phinney Ridge (Seattle) in the afternoon. We arrived around 5 pm and there was still a line! 

The street side window has the pie bakers on display. The staff was working like a well oiled machine - one baker was managing crust preparation (cutting butter into flour in a professional grade food processor) and had her latest crust taken by someone holding a pie tin the moment she set it down - every time. There was also an apple/peeler/corer slicer tool on the butcher block table getting a workout. The door to this baking mecca was ajar and the scent of warm spiced apples was intoxicating and completely changed my order. 

I'm not kidding. I was intent on getting Bourbon Butterscotch, but could not resist ordering apple by the time I reached the counter. My solution was a slice of Spiced Apple with a scoop of ice cream now; a slice of Bourbon Butterscotch to go. Dan concurred. The warm apple pie hit all the right notes. I celebrated "pi" and "pie" and was willing to raise a fork to any other notion someone proposed. Homemade pie is a triumph.  

Did you celebrate Pi Day with gusto?

Seattle: A La Mode Pies Need No Ice Cream

Oh me, oh my, look at all this gorgeous pie. I ordered two slices and asked the nice man behind the counter to cut them in half, so that I could try a little of each on site with a latte and take the other two halves home to Dan.  

These a two halves are: Bourbon Butterscotch pie and Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tart from A la Mode Pies in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle. First let me say that the Chocolate Caramel Pecan tart was delicious - exceptional pecans, perfect crust, sticky sweet base - high marks all around. 

The only problem was that I tried the Bourbon Butterscotch pie first and I wanted nothing else from then on. Maybe ever. It was cold and sweet with bourbon undertones and creamy overtones. It is the kind of pie I want to rub on my face. I didn't, of course. It's just my mind trying to think of something dramatic to do to make the magic last. This is how A la Mode describes my new favorite pie:

"This New Orleans-inspired delight starts with a delicate crust of vanilla wafers, brown sugar and toasted pecans. We then pour in sweet, smooth homemade pudding infused with caramelized sugar, vanilla, butter and a splash of bourbon whiskey - all topped with freshly whipped cream and toasted pecan pieces" - www.alamodeseattle.com 

You'd dive right in too, right? This sweet little pie shop was a great place to take a break on a rainy afternoon. Want to hear a coincidence? The nice man behind the counter was from Michigan and grew up spending his summers in Glen Arbor, the little town next to my little town up north! We both go back every year and joked that we might run into each other next August "in town." Small world indeed. 

If you get a chance, stop into A la Mode Pies and indulge in something wonderful. These pies are fantastic. A la mode or not.