Dude, I Don't Even Know.

So, we've been in the process of adding some new pie selections.  It sounds easy and I was pretty excited to start brainstorming and trying some new recipes.  SPOILER ALERT:  It isn't as easy as I thought it would be.  (I promise, when we encounter something easy, I'll do nothing but blog the sentence "OH MY GOSH, IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE."  Until then, just hold tight.) There are so many factors that go into a new recipe that I hadn't considered... and considering I have been known to pick books based on their cover and once left a restaurant before ordering because the menu was sticky, it is clear that the name and the visual presentation is the big thing for me.  This is where Jeanne balances me out perfectly.  She remembers the ever important issues of ingredient costs and labor considerations...how long will it take to make each pie, is it easily duplicated by a staff baker (when we actually have some staff bakers)?  Also, what is the seasonality of the pie and how well does it lend itself to a 12 inch, 9 inch, and 5 inch size?  In other words, she doesn't judge a book by a cover (though she will leave a restaurant if they don't serve coffee in an actual ceramic cup).

So how did it work out for us?

We are proud to announce we have three new additions to the PJP family:)

1) The Drunken Apple.  All you need to know is that this is the renown PJP apple pie WITH HARD CIDER.  Whaaaa?  I know, right?  Personally, Behind-The-Scenes-Tech-Guru Jason and I are big Hard Cider fans.  Jeanne needed to have a sampling party to get on board (so she says).  Once she did, there was no turning back.  Imagine fresh apples, flour, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and Angry Orchard Hard Cider all baked to perfection inside our delicious pie crust.  Behind-The-Scenes-Tech-Guru Jason has proclaimed it as "perfect", "two thumbs-up", and "pie with flair."

2)  The Boozy Blue.  The sweet little pie has fresh blueberries and dark spiced rum and a hint of cinnamon.  Surprisingly enough, it is actually a cold pie and is chilling in the refrigerator as I type this.  And honestly, in the name of blog transparency, I don't even eat blueberries and I was little compelled as I stirred in the rum and heated it slowly until the sugar started to bubble and thicken.  I think the Boozy Blue will be like Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles...a little dark and a little mysterious, but pretty much adorable when you get to know him (and completely capable of picking you up in a Porsche from your sister's wedding after everyone has forgotten your birthday.)

3) Chocolate Shortbread Crust.  I'm filing this one under "Dude, I don't even know."  It is so good that I'm still recovering a bit from the amount of dough I ate this afternoon (shameful).  We had grand plans of making a lot of dough and then cutting it out in cute little heart shapes to share tomorrow at Lucky's.  Turns out that wasn't so easy and we basically just ate all the hearts we made and instead cut strips of dough to share.  I can't tell you the recipe because FAMILY SECRET, but Jeanne has a whole host of jokes about what goes in it that could spotlight on Hee Haw, so be sure not to ask her tomorrow (unless really bad jokes are your thing).

You have probably have heard by now that we are sampling pies tomorrow at Lucky's from 11 until 2.  We are bringing all our Valentine's pies (have you ordered yet?  www.pjpies.com) AND our new additions, including the shortbread dough (unless we eat it all before you get there). If you have been stuck inside all week, get out tomorrow and come see us.  We will be autographing boxes (and accepting glasses of wine).  And wiping dough crumbs off our shirts.