Say Hi to Pie Bar!

Monday, December 16, 2024

We are excited to have Pie Bar Woodstock as our newest pick-up location! We recently had the chance to catch up with Lauren and you can learn more about Pie Bar below. If you haven't tried one of Cody and Lauren's delicious pies, check out their offerings on our website.

Tell us how Pie Bar came to be!

Pie Bar started as a dream. I was working for the State of Georgia and was not happy with the way things were going. I began thinking more about cooking and baking and spent the majority of my free time in my kitchen at home.

I started baking pies specifically and loved the idea of creating something that people have such a deep connection to, specifically in the South. I would bake pies for friends and co-workers in exchange for feedback on how to make the pies even better. I began selling pies at local farmer’s markets, antique shows, breweries, and really anywhere that would allow me to sell pie. After a couple of seasons of markets, my husband, Cody, and I opened our first shop in Downtown Woodstock in September 2015.

Since then, Pie Bar has grown and now has a shop in Downtown Woodstock, a shop in the Marietta Square, and our Commissary Kitchen is in Kennesaw, Georgia.

What is your first memory of baking?

My Mom had a copy of the Better Homes and Garden cookbook with the red checkered cover. I loved pulling that cookbook out and flipping through the baked goods section.

Each Thanksgiving she would make one Traditional Pumpkin Pe (recipe off the side of the Libby pumpkin can) and one Classic Apple Pie using the recipe from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook.

The first time I made a pie by myself was using those very same recipes and I felt incredibly proud to have baked something that my family enjoyed. When I started Pie Bar, my Classic Apple Pie recipe was based on that same BHG recipe and anytime I see a red checkered cover I cannot help but smile.

Tell us about your shops in Woodstock and Marietta! What do you offer?

Our shops are open daily and serve a rotating menu of sweet pies. Some of our most popular flavors include Apple Streusel Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Brown Sugar Chess Pie.

We also have Take-and-Bake Savory Pies like Rosemary Chicken Pot Pies and Roasted Veggie Pot Pies. These are great to keep in your freezer at home for an easy dinner, or a lot of guests will purchase them as gifts to share with friends to celebrate a new baby or bring comfort during a season of loss.

What is your #1 favorite pie you’ve ever made?

Over the almost 10 years that Pie Bar has been in existence, we have made hundreds of varieties of pies. Some have been unexpectedly popular (MoonPie Pie!) while others have not been as beloved as I would have hoped (Hummingbird Pie.)

If I am baking at Pie Bar, I love to make a custard pie filled with a fruit compote. Our best-known flavor of this type of pie is the Blueberry Buttermilk. We haven’t had it in a few years, so it may be time for it to make an appearance in our pie case sometime in the future.

If I am baking at home, I love making a Cranberry Apple Pie Crumble Pie with my daughter, Rose. She and I love baking together and seeing her sneak bites of sweet apple and then tart cranberry jam make me laugh.

Are there any surprising or fun facts about pies that you can share with us?

I find that the majority of Pie Bar’s guests have some sort of deeper connection to pie besides just enjoying a bit of dessert.

Pie has a way of seeping into the fabric of people’s lives and creating a sense of connection between memory and food without them ever noticing.

It is not uncommon for us to hear stories of pies from people’s childhoods or have guests share their family recipes with us. Pie holds memories for many people and is about so much more than the ingredients that make them up.

What are a couple of your favorite places to eat around the Woodstock and Marietta Squares?

I love being a part of a Downtown Community. I spend the majority of my time on “Main Streets,” floating between the Downtown Woodstock Pie Bar Shop, the Marietta Square Pie Bar Shop, and living in Downtown Canton.

Starting with The Marietta Square, I love to visit The Local Exchange to pick up locally made items. This shop is owned by a woman named Marion, and she and her team curate locally made food, art, and gifts. It is not uncommon for me to grab something from their coolers for a quick lunch while working at Pie Bar Marietta, but I also love to peruse their dried goods section to see what local small food businesses are coming up with!

Two Birds Tap House in the Marietta Square is a great place to enjoy a cocktail or beer plus their appetizer menu is fantastic for a quick snack.

In Downtown Woodstock we love to walk next door to Queenie’s BBQ inside Reformation Brewery for pulled pork and pork rinds that you dip in pimento cheese. If I am looking for something a bit lighter, Eden is a smoothie bar that serves classic smoothies, bowls, and toasts.