In Search Of Pie: Welaka!

Oh Yes! You didn't think I'd forget my old friend pie did you?


Welaka! A new found favorite spot in what those who know all call "Old Florida"!
 I think perhaps a few hundred folks live in the village limits, but this little bar / restaurant seems to have it all goin' on!


Just check out this sign!

 Num! Num! Num!
 One of the weekly specials is the 17 shrimp dinner. Yes, 17 shrimp (and big ones too!) cooked however you want, fries, hush puppies and the always present southern coleslaw! Get this: $9.95!

 Unassuming, just like I like 'em!

Nothing fancy, but clean as a whip. The locals flock here and we ate here many times during our stay, each time delicious!
 They also have free WIFI and so our laptop was always with us.

They sell T-Shirts and great food and see there in the front? A pie counter!

....And when you go to Florida, isn't it a given that you eat Key Lime Pie?


 They have a local woman  who makes all the desserts, including peanut butter pie and a frosted strawberry cake I had to order one day too!

The crumbs you see stuck to my filling were from an oreo cookie cheesecake!


Never the less, this dessert was scrumptious with a nice flaky pastry and tart-ish filling and because Dick doesn't like Key Lime Pie, I got to eat the whole darned thing! YaaY!


I would definitely recommend it!


All of these photos were again shot and loaded directly from my Nikon P90 and then posted without alteration of any kind.

In Search of Pie!

The Lighthouse Restaurant.


Located in the Lake Erie village of Port Burwell. This is a thriving year round community that also boasts... you've got it! 
                                         
                                       REAL PIE!

One of the old original hotels of our area, this big box of a building has been open as either a hotel, bar and restaurant for many, many years. 

Now clad in metal siding, it used to be that sort of siding that looks like asphalt shingles.

I like to take pictures so no one knows! 

They serve a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Bringing in local talent for nights of music and fun!

Many hours of happy times here, more than one drunken brawl and I'm sure the odd clandestine assignation!

Showing their Scottish roots over the fireplace.

Of course, Lake Erie Perch is a staple.

They just had the one kind of pie left though?

Everything else was sold out, so I had no choice but...

 Apple pie a la mode!

The apples looked like they'd be mostly raw.

(In my world, apple pie should be baked so the chunks of apple are cooked soft!)

The crust looked flaky and light. It was obviously a hand made one and not out of a box!

I jumped into the fray and was pleasantly surprised!

Soft and sweet. The cinnamon just right!

I highly recommend a stop here!

Yes momma! We will run the roads in search of pie and

continue the tradition you started. We will not let you down!

In Search Of Pie!

It's a wonder we ever need to wash the car, we drive so many miles just for the fun of it! You'd think all the dirt would just blow off!

About 30 miles from our house is a small town called Springfield. Yes, there's a hundred Springfield's and almost every state and province has one, don't they?

Ah yes.... the Pillar and Post! 


No! Not the famous one in Niagara on the Lake where the Clinton's have stayed and eaten, but a little infamous one in an old building where all the locals go. You know, one of those places that serves dynamite food? 


Here's what the outside looks like:

 

Brick that's been painted. Nice purple awning though?

Walk inside and oh!

 

Nice restored wood details and floors.

Just a nice, family style place. 

Daily specials. Full meals, breakfast lunch and dinner.

We quite often go over for breakfast because they make killer eggs Benny!

This particular Sunday, we met several friends. Of course Mickey Mouse pancakes are a must!

  

Everybody though I was nuts because I of course ordered pie!

Bumbleberry!

For those who don't have Bumbleberry, it is a mixture of all berries like raspberry and blackberry and strawberry. (I think it's kind of what ever you have at the time of baking?)

Had a tartness to it because this one had rhubarb in it too!

Nice flaky pastry! A hand fluted edge too!

 

Do you want the first bite?

Ah! Ode to Pie?

Crusty, Flaky Fruity, I love you all.

May you dwell in Lucy's mouth forever!

In Search of Pie

The Courtland Bakery, 
 Courtland, Ontario

In Southern Ontario, partway between Delhi and Tillsonburg... right along Highway 3  lies the small village of Courtland. Small, but mighty, this community is packed full of day tripping goodness.


And I finally found real pie!

A simple brick building in a simple rural community. 

The austere exterior hides the delights within.

Tons of Pie!

Something for every palate!

Oh Heaven! Oh Bliss!

Then we thought, Oh! It's lunchtime and we should show some sense!

So we picked Beef pies!

What an amazing choice! 

Handmade right on the premises with flaky, to die for pastry!

Every bite was a dream with mouth watering goodness.

         If you're ever driving down #3 Hwy, stop in and treat yourself!

Tomorrow... What else was inside!

In Search of Pie! Angelo's

I'm not often in London. Or, any more than I have to be. I don't find the bigger city fun or invigorating and if they didn't have bigger thrift shops or a casino in there, I likely wouldn't go at all!


So imagine my spending Saturday in the 'big' city! We really need a new car and because of my background, I can buy one just as good as Dick can and so I met a friend for breakfast and then we went and test drove a car.


I didn't buy it. The search continues.... BUT


...Along about one o'clock and after two Goodwill's, I was feeling a little peckish and thought: 


HMMMMM.... Where could I go in search of Pie?

I decided Angelo's. The original one on Thompson road. Anybody within a fifty mile radius knows the place. Been there for years and I think it's like a second or maybe even a third generation bakery. They started selling Deli meats and cheeses and then started making sandwiches for the local lunch crowds and before long, they had a hot Deli section and fresh salad bars too.

But with a selection like this... I couldn't decide!

And... there was NO PIE!

So I finally decided on this carmel, chocolate chip cheese cake.

Well, sort of pie? I took a bite....

And, as I was certain of when I walked in the door... I was not to be disappointed!

Even though it was not pie, it was delish!

Still no pie and it's been since Christmas since I had any!

I'm going to have to put my thinking cap on and find pie!

Tomorrow, I'm posting my What's Inside!

In Search of Pie

Just off Highway 3 and halfway between St Thomas, Ontario and Aylmer, is a little berg called New Sarum. (Pronounced: first half just like the name Sarah and the last part like ummm?)



It's a wonderful restaurant with a full menu, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and specializing in all you can eat chicken dinners.


Today... Dick and I search for PIE!

              ... And I know I can find it here!

This place is so awesome, I'm going to post a What's Inside later this week!

The front counter.

A PIE COUNTER!

You don't see these much anymore. 

Glistening stainless... doors clouded with condensation...

You just know there''s mouth watering delights inside.

So! I went off to take photos and told Dick that seeing as he doesn't normally get to do In Search of Pie with me, (It's a girls outing you see..) I told him he could pick whatever he wanted!

Not really pie, but if you added the crust it would be? 

He confided later that when the waitress said 'Apple Crisp,' he blanked out after that!

Two black coffees and two spoons and the darlin' got me my ice cream!

 

Nice big chunks of apples, real oatmeal topping...

 

Can you see the raisin? She warmed it for us...

Just enough to take the chill off!

Well! This is what we thought of it!

Pie... Oh Pie!...

Where will I find your tongue caress next?

In Search of Pie

Today the weather was so bad, I didn't want to travel far in my quest, but you can find good bakery almost anywhere so I decided to stop at a bakery that is actually owned by one of our neighbors. 

 

Located in a small strip mall on Sunset Road in St Thomas, Ontario. 

They serve meals as well as baking for eat in or take out.  Look at this selection!

All ready for the Christmas rush with pre packed goodies!

 The inside of the restaurant features stained glass in the partitions.

I ordered an egg and bacon sandwich, toasted.

And I decided on a piece of Peach. Look at the portion size! (The receipt was for the sandwich, pie and coffee.)

Ok, so at least the filling was tasty!

I continue my quest for pie, searching the neighborhoods near and far. Where will I go next?

In Search of Pie

There's a small village in southwestern Ontario, Canada called Wallacetown.

As you can see, there really isn't much more there than a handful of houses, a water tower, a sawmill,
a couple of churches, Fairgrounds and ......

The Tall Tales Cafe          

Quite a place, eh? Yes, looks can and will be deceiving. They pump your gas for you. The local Post Office is housed there. You can buy your weekly allotment of Lottery tickets and milk and bread in a pinch... And.... they have a restaurant! Looking at this counter, you might think um, do I have to?



Behind this unassuming facade works a real chef! Turning out meals that are mouthwatering and just down right yummy and priced well for your pocketbook too. On Sundays he features corned beef hash and you know how I feel about my hash!

But do you know what else they specialize in?  Pie! On any given day they will have the blackboard written up with any number of selections. I've seen cherry cream offered and sweet potato.......

My mom always had to have a little pie after a meal out. Her favorite was pumpkin and so that is my choice. Three scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream no less and some hot, freshly brewed coffee, bottomless cup of course and what a snack it was! 

In my search for a great pie I will go to great lengths and this restaurant proves you can't judge a book by it's cover!

I will continue my quest for pie nationwide. Who knows where next I might go!