Eleanor Polak Photos
Westville neighbourhood lines up to buy homemade pies.
The air over Beecher Park, located at Mitchell Library at 37 Harrison St., rang with chatter, music, and a heavenly mixture of sugar, spice, and everything nice.
Westville Village Renaissance Alliance hosted on Monday evening the latest installment in Hi-Fi Pie Fest, its weekly summer pie baking competition, a community-centric event complete with food and live music.
It’s “really just getting people together,” said WVRA Executive Director Lizzy Donius, who sported a Hi-Fi Pie Fest t‑shirt bearing the words “Come for the music, stay for the pie!” The slogan, said Donius, is interchangeable. Some people come for the pie and stay for the music.
Eleanor Polak Photos
Lizzy Donius.
This Monday’s challenge was savory pies. Volunteers lined up to serve picturesque triangle boxes with slices of Piggy Pie, sharp cheddar, asparagus, and ham tart, roasted vegetable pie, curry tomato, cheese and onion cracker pie, caramelized onion and leek, and zucchini pie. Customers could purchase a slice for $5 and a gelato flavor of their choice (chocolate, blood orange and raspberry, or La Giuliana, from La Giuliana Gelato on Sargent Drive) for $2. If they bought two slices of pie, the gelato was free. Within half an hour, they were all sold out.
Eleanor Polak Photos
Sarah Wallman and Harris eat their pie.
Sarah Wallman has taken her family to Hi-Fi Pie Fest on and off for 11 years. “This is where we met a lot of our best friends in Westville when we first moved here,” she said. “It’s good for us to use common space.… It’s so great for the library to be at the heart of the community.” People dined in the fresh air on folding chairs and blankets, and children tossed around plastic toys while their parents conversed.
This week, Wallman’s eight-year-old son Harris baked a pie for the competition. He singlehandedly crafted a sharp cheddar, asparagus, and ham tart — although Wallman herself played the important role of removing the dish from the oven. Some things are dangerous for all eight-year-olds, even baking prodigies.
Eleanor Polak Photos
The crowd in Beecher Park.
Kate Bradley, Kathy Hoffman, and Miriam Berkman are all seasoned bakers who have been attending the festival since its inception, roughly 12 years ago. This Monday, Bradley contributed a curry tomato pie with tamarind onions. “I love the people, and Westville, and the feeling of community events,” she said, looking out over the packed park. If the kitchen forms the heart of the home, bringing fresh-baked goods to share with the neighborhood transformed it into one massive family.
Hoffman baked a cheddar onion cracker pie, using Ritz crackers for a crust. “I was a little disappointed because it got soggy waiting in the humidity,” she said, although those enjoying a slice of her pie seemed to have few complaints. Since joining the competition, Hoffman has become “more experimental” in her baking. “I’ve been here so many times, so I try not to make the same thing more than once,” she said.
Berkman brought a roasted vegetable pie with feta and ricotta. Despite her proficiency, she said that the competition wasn’t the most important part of the event. “I’m ambivalent about the competition aspect, but it’s fun,” she explained. “I enjoy tasting everyone’s pies more than I enjoy the competition.” Nevertheless, Berkman felt that sampling a variety of bakers’ work encouraged her to be more thoughtful with her pie making.
The Split Coils Band performs "Two Hearts."
While the attendees dug into their dinner, The Split Coils set up to provide the entertainment. The New Haven band is composed of Jay Russell (lead singer, guitarist), his wife Katelyn Russell (tambourine, backing vocals), Mike Sembos (lead guitar), Joe Ballero (bass), and Jon Scerbo (drums). “It’s a beautiful Monday,” said Jay. “Who plays rock ‘n’ roll on a Monday? I guess we do.” Muffled cheers came from full mouths. They performed a combination of originals, like “Two Hearts,” and covers, like John Prine’s “Fish and Whistle.”
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Judges Ana de los Angeles and Charlotte and Shiloh Anderholt.
Meanwhile within the Mitchell Library, the judging took place. Ana de los Angeles of Manjares restaurant was joined by Charlotte Anderholt and her child Shiloh, age seven. “The qualities that I’m looking for is the crust … good crust is good pie,” said de los Angeles, gesturing at a series of numbered plates with slivers of dishes stacked upon them. It’s a delicate art: number seven (the zucchini pie) had a good crust, while number six (caramelized onion and leek) felt too compact.
“I think for me number three” — roasted vegetable pie — “and number seven look good,” decided de los Angeles.
“Number seven looks good!” said Shiloh.
When the band finished its set, the time had come to announce the winners. De los Angeles took the stage alongside Naomi Senzer, the organizer of the event. They began by awarding the junior winner. “I see in the pie a lot of work, a lot of dedication, a lot of love, and a lot of good taste,” said de los Angeles. She announced number two, the sharp cheddar, asparagus, and ham tart. Harris rushed to the front of the crowd to accept his prize: a $10 gift card to PokeOli in Westville.
Eleanor Polak Photos
Miriam Berkman receiving an award from Naomi Senzer and Ana de los Angeles.
Next came the senior prizes. Kate Bradley won a Hi-Fi Pie Fest emblazoned rolling pin for her curry tomato pie, number four. Finally, Miriam Berkman won first place for her number-three roasted vegetable pie. She received a gift certificate for Manjares.
The Westville Village Renaissance Alliance usually earns between $500 and $600 through pie sales each week at the festival. Most of it goes toward paying the musicians. Organizer Naomi Senzer works for free, as do the variety of volunteers of all ages who help with the serving and set up of the event.
The attendees of Hi-Fi Pie Fest went home Monday evening with full stomachs and big smiles. They had feasted on home-baked pie and gelato while listening to The Split Coils and chatting with their neighbors and friends. Good food, good music, and good company: What more could you ask?
Please note, this event is NOT being hosted by Mitchell Library. The Renaissance Alliance is using the community space, as any organization is permitted to do with advance permission. If you call the library with questions about the Hi Fi Pie Fest, they don't know anything more than the general public or what the WRA has posted on their website or Facebook.