540 N. Main St.

(828) 693-4600

 

When Jennifer was in her North Carolina hometown for the July 4, 2011, weekend, she went downtown to the quaint, old-timey Main Street with her mom and uncle to watch the fireworks show. While waiting for the sky to darken enough for the show to begin, she and her uncle took a leisurely walk down the street, mostly glimpsing in the closed shops as they navigated the throngs of tourists who come to the mountains as a respite from the scorching heat in places further south.

     To her shock, they spotted a pie shop, one she didn't know was there, right at the north end of downtown, in the historic former Skyland Hotel. Alas, the shop was closed and Jennifer was leaving town the next day. But she managed to squeeze in a quick trip before her flight the next morning.

     She learned that A Piece of the Pie had been opened in September of 2010 by Alexis Allen Tesnar (in photo), who bakes the pies. The place had a good selection of pies in a case set behind some inviting couches. Jennifer grabbed a slice of cherry to go and split it with her mom as they headed to the airport.

     It was excellent, with tart cherries and crust that was flaky and not overly sweet. It was enough to make John jealous. Jennifer didn't have enough time to do a full on examination of A Piece of the Pie. But it sure showed promise, so we'll try to make a return visit next time we go home. Until then, if you're in the mountains of Western North Carolina, try it and tell us what you think.