When I blogged about the Pietopia contest in 2008 I had no idea I would a) be returning to Portland to live, b) be returning to Portland as a widow, c) meet Pietopia’s founder, Tricia Martin, in person (she’s lovely!) and hire her to design my pie website (and talented!), and d) be a judge for the 2010 Pietopia contest. I am certainly delinquent in promoting this year’s Pietopia, with TOMORROW as the deadline for essay entries. But given that essay is limited to 300 words or less, I figure it’s never too late. So start thinking about pie, people! Get busy writing (see below for guidelines) and send in your submissions. I can’t wait to read the responses to the thought-provoking question: WHAT DOES YOUR LIFE TASTE LIKE IN A PIE? And when I come up with my own answer I’ll be sure to let you know.
Here’s the contest description from Tricia’s website:
What does it taste like to be unemployed, starting a new job, just married, divorced, a new homeowner or desperately searching for housing? What kind of pie would describe the way you are feeling right now? Could you imagine your thoughts, concerns or joys transformed into the All-American Pie? This is a call to entry that has been put out for the past two years to the city of Portland, my current hometown, to find out what the flavor of peoples lives are through a pie.
To participate, please submit your pie recipe and written explanation, including why you chose the recipe and how the taste of it relates to the current state of your life in under 300 words
The deadline is June 25th 2010. (Submissions will not be accepted after the June 25th deadline.) The project will culminate with an exhibition of the winners at the Portland Farmer’s Market Buckman between 20th and Salmon on Thursday August 5th, 2010. Each winning pie will receive a limited edition screen print reflecting the ideas in the written statement. Pies will be judged upon the creativity and innovativeness in ideas reflecting the ingredients used in the recipe for the first round of judging by the food-writers panel, and for how well the actual flavor aligns with your story in the second round of juding by the bakers panel.
Get as creative or as traditional as you want with your pies! Savory, sweet, fruit, cream, custard, meat, or vegan, do it up! The winners will bring their pies to the Buckman Farmer’s Market (20th and Salmon SE) August 5th, 2010 for some good old fashioned tasting (yes, that’s right, free pie tasting! yum!). Come and and find out what the taste of your community is like! Plus check out the amazing silk-screens that will be specially designed for each winning pie, the 2010 edition pie plates done by an amazing local ceramicist, a raffle, and more!
Pietopia is of the community and for the community. Home-bakers, teachers, waiters, business-men/women, computer fixers, designers, linguists, professional chefs, professors, doctors, writers, CEOs, and everyone is welcome to enter. However, if you win, please be aware and respect that the contest is not a forum for promoting your own business.
For complete details, go here:http://www.eatingisart.com/pietopia