PASTRY
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New Pie Designs When it comes to employing different pie crusts and fillings, the sky’s the limit. By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor
WHETHER ACCOMPANIED BY a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream or topping-free, a slice of pie remains high on the list of traditional club desserts. And while members have come to expect classic flavors to polish off a satisfying meal, pastry chefs are finding new ways to elevate the pie-eating experience. With new variations in crusts and fillings, along with unconventional flavors to pique the curiosity of their most discriminating diners, pies are commanding even greater attention.
LET THEM EAT PIE At Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield, Mich., Executive Pastry Chef Elizabeth Harrison relishes the idea of adding new twists to her pie menu. “Pies have always had the ability to be incredibly diverse,” she says. “Make a good pie crust, use product that is fresh and available, and have fun eating it.” With more than two decades under her belt working the private club circuit—the last eight of which have been at Oakland Hills—Harrison has come to know exactly what members crave:
a lemon meringue ice cream pie. A menu mainstay, this pastry is featured year-round on the a la carte menu and, for those who can’t resist a second helping, is available for purchase as a whole pie. To satisfy members’ flavor palates, Harrison also runs a limited-edition special, offering a classic pie or cake for purchase for only a day or two. “It’s fun for us to make, and the members enjoy the spontaneity of it,” she says. Possible flavors include apple, cherry, coconut cream, key lime and chocolate
Oakland Hills CC Executive Pastry Chef Elizabeth Harrison runs a limited-edition special, offering a classic cake or pie for purchase for only a day or two.
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Club + Resort Chef
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May 2022
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