563658 Thu Oct 09 15:14:25 -0700 2008 28 20 Tristate Region 0 4094158 What is the best place to get pie on the North Fork of LI? I make a great apple myself so I am really looking for pumpkin (I just had the best pumpkin ever from Young's in Brookville - looking to replicate it) or pecan (something buttery and not too sweet). I know there are lots of places to buy pies but where do you recommend as the best for pumpkin and pecan pies? Thu Oct 09 15:14:25 -0700 2008 24650 kellygirl 1 4094649 Not quite north fork, but Briermere Farms in Riverhead is famous for pies. I haven't had one in quite a few years but remember they were very good. I think it is worth a try. Thu Oct 09 19:32:31 -0700 2008 4094158 126803 rrems 2 4095006 They're not as good as they used to be, and so expensive, it's like a tourist trap. I prefer Wickhams in Cutchogue, their pies are made from scratch. Not sure if they have every flavor though. The best pies on the East End are on the South Fork though, at Breadzilla in Wainscott. Fri Oct 10 03:07:13 -0700 2008 4094649 11097 coll 3 4095049 I think that Briermere pies are the same as they have always been. It is not just for tourists -- many locals buy their pies there. I remember seeing a man there one morning picking up 40 pies. His daughter was getting married and she didn't want a wedding cake, she wanted Briermere's pies! Wickam's pies are OK, but I will say that neither has crust as good as a homemade one, but I do feel that the Briermere pies are wonderful. If you can, pick up one of their cream pies, which are unique and sort of a cross between a cream pie and a cheesecake. The fresh fruit cream pies are particularly wonderfu. Fri Oct 10 04:52:29 -0700 2008 4095006 34558 roxlet 4 4100720 I agree. I do like Briermere pies. Most of the pies are huge and to me worth the money. I also like Wickhams pies as well as the pies at the Modern Snack Bar. The latter of my preferneces being the least expensive. Good luck! Oh and while you are in the north fork hit up Jundas for some apple strudel! Mon Oct 13 07:24:14 -0700 2008 4095049 20483 jenniebnyc 4 4103951 I agree too roxlet. I love Briermere pies. Don't get there much now that I don't live on LI so can't speak to last few years but can't believe much has changed since then. Best crusts and I don't think they are overpriced. Tue Oct 14 12:54:28 -0700 2008 4095049 48135 laylag 1 4094725 While you're on your way to Briermere Farms on the North Fork of LI I would like to suggest that you get off the Northern State Pkwy. at the 106/107 exit and check out the tremendous pies at the Jericho Cider Mill Thu Oct 09 20:23:15 -0700 2008 4094158 12469 chaz 1 4103150 Briermere is just the best. Even though it has grown in popularity doesn't mean it has to be a negative tourist trap. I'd go elsewhere for produce, but their pies/cookies/muffins are delicious. Tue Oct 14 08:35:21 -0700 2008 4094158 205874 stefathena 1 4104920 Briermere Farms' pies are better than Whickhams' by far, both the crust and the fillings, and they are bigger, too.. The price is up, of course, as is that of everything except stocks. Jericho Cider Mill's apple pies are good, but there is no variety. Once a year I go to Briermere's and buy a supply for the freezer. So, does that make me a tourist or a pie-eyed foodie? Tue Oct 14 19:40:11 -0700 2008 4094158 221285 therealdoctorlew 2 4105316 I hate to say it, but you can skip a step and go to any restauarant supply house and get most of their pies already frozen and bake them off yourself. Same goes for Modern Diner. They ARE excellent pies, but they cost about $4 or $5 each. Not those cream pies Briermere's makes though, they are unique. Last time I bought one, maybe 10 years ago, they were over $20 so I can't imagine what they're getting for them now. Anyway I understand it's all part of the experience, so feel free to ignore everything I just said, it's not a big deal actually! Wed Oct 15 02:20:09 -0700 2008 4104920 11097 coll 3 4105374 I find it really difficult to believe that is true. I would think that there would be some awareness of the situation if Briermere was purchasing their pies elsewhere and passing them off as their own. They have been in business a long, long time, and I believe that would not go unnoticed if that were the case. We frequent a restaurant supply house, and I have never seen a raspberry/apple pie, nor a blackberry/peach. In fact, there are combos at Briermere's I have never seen anywhere else, nonetheless at a restaurant supply house where the pies tend to be generic apple, blueberry and peach. Wed Oct 15 04:49:04 -0700 2008 4105316 34558 roxlet 4 4105385 The person who sells pies to these two places told me, it's no big deal. They just can't keep up with their sales at this point. You won't find the combo pies everywhere, but they do make them. Some have combos of 5 different fruits even. Briermere also does make their own pies but you have a better chance of getting them in the off season. It is so crazy out here lately I can't even imagine how many pies they sell per weekend, but just counting the pre-made ones, I'm told they are the biggest buyer in the Metro area, followed closely by Modern Diner. Like I said, some are their own too, but they get very defensive if you talk to them about it, so I'd better drop the subject! Wed Oct 15 04:57:56 -0700 2008 4105374 11097 coll 5 4105425 Well, I guess that I would have to hear it from them. No offense. Wed Oct 15 05:30:10 -0700 2008 4105385 34558 roxlet 6 4105440 You won't, but no offense taken. I just hope they don't find out where I live and come throw pies at my house! Wed Oct 15 05:46:04 -0700 2008 4105425 11097 coll 7 4118668 Hey, Erica Marcus -- how about a bit of investigative journalism on this one? While this is certainly plausible - and I don't doubt that Coll is accurately restating what she heard, it's still rumour till I see some confirmation. Tue Oct 21 10:25:05 -0700 2008 4105440 10814 sbp 8 4128135 Oops! Sorry, I was on vacation and missed this exchange. Sure, I'll look into it. All of you who have inside information: you can email me confidentially at erica.marcus@newsday.com. I'd just add that at some point, it become academic who makes the pies if they are made in huge quantities. I mean that if Briermere is indeed producing thousands of pies per weekend, then they are probably doing it in an industrial manner that is not all that different from how a wholesaler would do it: Old Mrs. Briermere isn't standing in her kitchen with a flour-dusted apron using her grandmother's rolling pin to make 200 pies per hour. Sat Oct 25 07:41:29 -0700 2008 4118668 10267 emarcus 9 4138114 Here's something: I talked to one of Briermere's competitors about the situation. I know the competitor makes pies on the premises because I've seen them being made. She told me she believes that Briermere does indeed make its own pies. This may not mean that the pastry is made from scratch (I know some of these outlets bring in pie dough) but that the pies are assembled, with fresh apples, and baked where they are sold. Hounds, next time one of you is at Briermere, ask someone where's the kitchen is! Thu Oct 30 05:53:32 -0700 2008 4128135 10267 emarcus 10 4140131 I'm going to the Food Show next week and if I see the person who told me this, I'm going to question him further. Will report back then. Fri Oct 31 00:34:49 -0700 2008 4138114 11097 coll 10 4140258 These bakers may make some pies on premises and buy in others, probably certain varieties. It could even vary by season and demand. This would be similar to a farm stand that grows SOME of their own produce and obtains other items from neighboring farms or even from out-of-state or the Hunt's Point market. It would be hard to pin this down and probably doesn't matter except for the fact that customers don't like to think they're being fooled. Fri Oct 31 05:29:49 -0700 2008 4138114 10270 gnocchi 11 4141898 Really, does anyone believe the fruit is local and out of season and fresh? All I know is that the fillings at Briermere's are great and the crust is flakey and tender, and that the pie is worth the cost, especially when compared to other "fresh baked" pies at nearly rhe same price. Fri Oct 31 18:27:22 -0700 2008 4140258 221285 therealdoctorlew 3 4127511 Would Coll name some restaurant supply houses that are thought to be providing pies to Briermere's? Fri Oct 24 18:35:22 -0700 2008 4105316 221285 therealdoctorlew 4 4127575 Yes, I'd be happy to know that (and get some!) as well!! Fri Oct 24 19:09:43 -0700 2008 4127511 34558 roxlet 5 4128007 If you guys want to email me, I'll tell you what I know. I don't want to make a big deal about it here, the Briermere people probably won't appreciate it. Sat Oct 25 06:01:14 -0700 2008 4127575 11097 coll 1 4105446 Stopped at Briermere's a couple weeks ago (after the chili contest at the Boardy Barn) and picked up a blueberry pie (I know, very basic) and it was okay, but $16? That's a lot of money for a pie. Crust was real good, the filling it thought could've been a little less loose. Wed Oct 15 05:52:55 -0700 2008 4094158 228246 moma1bud 1 4106997 No luck with the pies. I was planning to stop at Briermere or Wickam at your recommendations on the way home but we made a last minute decision to go through Shelter Island and head home via the south fork. There was a recommendation below for a south fork below but it was East of where we ended up. I stopped at a farmstand in the Bridgehampton / Watermill area. I didn't catch the name, it was just a few minutes west of the shopping center with the Williams Sonoma. Anyway, I was told that their pies were homemade, not commercial so I took home a pumpkin pie. It was terrible - sickly sweet, not a great texture and nothing special crust. I think I have been spoiled by Young's farm in Brookville. No other pumpkin pie will live up. Wed Oct 15 15:58:14 -0700 2008 4094158 24650 kellygirl 2 4130662 I bought a very good apple pie from Young's today... Sun Oct 26 18:48:05 -0700 2008 4106997 20288 MacTAC 1 4111625 Love Briermere! Grab a pumpkin square and a peach slush. (Like biting into the best peach you ever had.) As for the pies we always go with a strawberry rhubarb for Thanksgiving and one of the cream pies. Blueberry cream is my fav. Fri Oct 17 14:15:50 -0700 2008 4094158 148492 gwk222 1 4130700 I'm not sure I understand the "dustup" over who actually makes the Briermere pie. If you think it's a great pie what's the difference? It's still a great pie even if it's made by illegal aliens in like BayShore or descendants of people who were at the first Thanksgiving. Sun Oct 26 19:12:30 -0700 2008 4094158 12469 chaz 2 4132133 Economics: if I thought it was made by Mrs. Smiths, I wouldn't pay $16 for it. I understand Erica's point that some level of industrialization is required to do massive volumes. However, there's a difference between using locally grown fruit but having a dough rolling machine in the building out back and having the whole thing made in Idaho with your name stamped on it. Due to economies of scale, a factory pie costs a fraction of a local handmade pie. If they are going to "farm out" the work, I want to share in the savings. Mon Oct 27 11:53:21 -0700 2008 4130700 10814 sbp