Rachel Machacek

A recent strawberry-rhubarb pie incarnation. Notice the hearts? Game on.

For the Love of Pie...and the District

All here who love pie raise your hands! If you could see me, you’d know I have both hands up in the air, and I’m waving them around frantically. There are also some intermittent spirit fingers in there, and I might be hopping up and down a little like a crazy lady.

I’m obsessed with pies. Eating them. Making them. Watching people eat them (cue pie-eating scene from Stand By Me).

Sweet pie, savory pie—especially rhubarb-with-just-a-touch-of-strawberry pie. The part I like most about pie is the crust, and I believe that I have perfected the best crust in the entire world (secret ingredient: ground flax seed). And folks, we all know it’s all about the crust.

While the rave reviews of those closest to me is heartwarming and does indeed fan the flames of my burning pie desire, I’ve decided to prove myself on a more official platform. So I went ahead and entered the pie contest at the 1st Annual DC State Fair.

No, DC is not technically a state, but as you and I both know, we should be. And don’t you just love the kitsch of it all?

The fair is running in conjunction with Columbia Heights Day, and there will lots of other contests all day long. I’m most excited about the funkiest looking vegetable at 2 pm (I’m a judge!) and the cupcake EATING contest at 3:30 pm. [Mmmmm. Cupcakes.]

The pie contest is 1–2 pm. My pie is called "Berry Stately Pie." (Get it? Stately? State fair? DC not a state? Okay, I’ll stick to pie making.) Like a proper baker, I rose at 7 am this morning to roll out the crust so that it could freeze overnight to a flaky butter bliss that will send your taste buds flying to heaven on gossamer wings. Tomorrow, I prepare the filling and bake for the freshest flavah evah.

Bless the state of DC. Bless all the pies.

p.s. Email me at rachelsuze@gmail.com if you'd like the recipe!

DC State Fair, 11-5, Tubman Elementary Field (11th and Irving Streets NW)

Rachel Machacek is a contributing editor at Washington Flyer and author of the magazine's food column, "The Dish." Her book, The Science of Single (Riverhead Books), will be released in early 2011.