Me-Oh-My! That’s Good Pie!
by Barbara Jean Briskey

There’s a new kid on the block, and she means business. Retired from her careers as an opera singer and then as a bond trader, Debra Every began selling her pies in 2007 at a farm stand in Mt. Tremper. Farm stand sales took off to over 100 pies per week, with demand expanding past the abilities of her home kitchen. She found space in Red Hook, combining the old Minafra’s Deli with the space next door in Firehouse Plaza to create a bakery and lunch café, with a kitchen large enough to also run her wholesale pie business.

It is only fair to state that, being a serious pie critic with 40 years of pie-making experience, I can say with impunity that Debra makes really good pies. She uses in-season and local fruit whenever possible. Her crust is a savory one with butter. I’ve never tasted a plum dessert that was so perfect: just tart enough, full fruit flavor bursting forth with no prunish aftertaste, and a clear claret color. All I could say was “Wow” as I savored each bite. The chocolate mousse pie is a sublime confection of just-right mousse topped with fresh cream. Raspberry tart and blueberry pie, each perfect.

One of the café specialties are “bites”— little wedges of baguette with a special topping. Samples include filet of beef with caramelized onion and horseradish, roasted pork with housemade mango chutney, and fresh mozzarella with sun-dried tomato and pesto. Colin, an 11-year-old from Clermont, ate bites for lunch at the table next to ours and proclaimed them “Awesome!”

We sampled the lobster bisque, which was creamy and delicate, with a few tiny pieces of lobster. The garden salad with edamame and white beans was simple and good, with fresh local greens and a vinaigrette dressing. My daughter Kate tried the baguette with brie cheese and St. Dalfour preserves and pronounced it delicious.

The décor is simple elegance, with taupe walls, recessed lighting and gold hanging lamps over the display cases. But I can’t help returning to those pies. They are wild, extravagant taste explosions. I want to try each kind and can because they come in three sizes with the smallest a single or shared serving. Next up: lemon, then banana cream.

Debra’s entrepreneurial spirit shines in her reflections on the café. She simply wanted a place to make and sell her pies. Then, as the space evolved, she figured that it would be a lovely setting to serve lunch. And good coffee, espresso, cappuccino (really good!) Now she is working out how she can expand hours into the evening, with some dinner offerings. Stay tuned... and come on out for a bite or two with pie for dessert. Or order lunch from the take-out menu. You won’t be disappointed. www.meohmypieshop.com