Floatworthy
My first-ever order from Easy As Pie included a miniature Peanut Butter Dream (top left), Pecan (top right), Key Lime (bottom right), and Strawberry Rhubarb (bottom left).
Published March 12, 2021
With Pi Day only two days away (3.14), it is difficult not to dream dreams of flaky crust, sinfully sweet fillings, and delightful toppings. While I understand that Pi Day is not for THAT KIND of pie, what better dish to be the signature dessert of this holiday? Aside from the similar sounding name, there is a loose connection between this mathematical constant and the beloved holiday one.
Think about it, what dessert is more mathematical than pie? Pumpkin pie gave me my first lesson in fractions. Pie charts are a common means to convey statistics. And of course, pie is typically circular and pi helps to find the area of that circle. Pi literally calculates how much pie I have. In Kansas City, another educational merit for these crusted pastries is that the best ones in town are baked by a middle school music teacher.
“I love the feeling of nostalgia that pies represent for a lot of people.”
Since Ann Lewis first learned how to bake a pie in her home economics class at Marshall High School (MO), she had always made the pies for her family’s holiday gatherings. As Thanksgiving 2017 approached and Lewis was planning for her own family’s desserts, she had the idea to try to make a few extra bucks by offering to make pies for others. She posted the offer on Facebook and before she knew it, Lewis had orders for over 40 pies! With the exception of Lewis, nobody in her family possessed the interest and/or the know-how to make holiday pastries. Three and a half years ago, Lewis quickly learned that several families shared this same dilemma.
Since she was a senior in high school, Ann Lewis always made pies for family holidays. In 2017, she started making them for other people’s families and Easy As Pie was born. PHOTO CREDIT: Lauren Pusateri
After the overwhelming Thanksgiving demand, Lewis wanted to see if there was similar interest outside of her own network. She registered for The Strawberry Swing’s holiday craft fair that December. In order to be eligible for the fair, Lewis set up a website and Instagram for her new business. When the big day arrived, Lewis’s stand sold out of product within 90 minutes! She actually had to return home, make more pies, and then return to the fair. Those also, promptly, sold out. That night she stayed up late baking to ensure she had enough product for day two. Again, she sold out. Easy As Pie was here to stay.
Operating out of her Midtown apartment’s kitchen, Lewis fulfilled online orders while continuing to register for fairs and other events. Eventually she started to partner with local businesses to create her own pop-ups. Despite the lack of a brick and mortar storefront, Easy As Pie was a smash hit. With every event, Lewis baked more and more pies and pastries. And with every event, Easy As Pie set a record for how quickly they were selling out. When COVID-19 hit last spring and fairs and pop-ups were no longer an option, Lewis’s lack of a storefront was a strength. Her transition to a socially distant, curbside pick-up business was rather seamless. And even during the height of quarantine, her following continued to grow.
Of course, a lot of that has to do with the quality of the products she offers. Her baked pies have crusts that are the perfect golden brown every time. They are flaky while still chewy and tender. Her graham cracker and cookie crusts are perfectly formed and sturdy. The homemade oozy fruit pie fillings are full-bodied and bursting with flavor. Ann’s utilization of fresh fruit means that some options are only available seasonally but that in itself is a testament to the standard that she holds herself to. Her cream-filled pies are the ideal balance of stiff and velvety in texture while being rich, yet light, in flavor. The exquisite flavor is what makes these pies great. Lewis’ creativity is what puts Easy As Pie over the top.
Originally conceived for a photo shoot, Ann’s Cherry Limeade pie has become one of her bestsellers. PHOTO CREDIT: Easy As Pie
“Pies have a certain stigma of being a little persnickety so there is something satisfying about having mastered that,” says Lewis. And mastered it, she has. The combinations of flavors are innovative and exciting. Sure you can order traditional favorites like strawberry rhubarb, pecan, and chocolate cream. However, you can also order the Samoa Pie - a decadent blend of coconut cream, gooey caramel, and rich chocolate crammed into a toffee-like caramel graham cracker crust and garnished with the Girl Scout cookie for which it is named (that pairs oh so well with a scoop of chocolate ice cream!). You can try the incredibly popular Cherry Limeade pie. During the NFL Playoffs, Easy As Pie’s Super Bowl Snacks Pie, a caramel cream cheese filled pie topped with M&Ms, nuts, pretzels, and other snacks, was a bestseller.
While the flavors are unique, the artistry is immaculate. The eye-catching nature of her desserts make Lewis’ Instagram the ultimate foodporn. Perhaps, more than anything, the photos of these well-crafted pastries have contributed to Easy As Pie’s cult following. When asked about her commitment to aesthetics, Lewis stated, “I like them [the pies] to look as good as they taste.”
By day, Ann Lewis continues to share her passion for music with her students. On nights and weekends, she shares her passion for baking with anyone willing to let her. The same bell that ushers her students home at the end of the day is the opening bell for Easy As Pie. Lewis has always found an escape in baking and relishes the opportunity she has to connect with others through her pies and pastries. “I love the feeling of nostalgia that pies represent for a lot of people.”
And it has evolved beyond just pies. In addition to the standard nine-inch pies, Lewis also offers mini pies, hand pies, and galettes. Her homemade pop tarts and miniature pop tarts have become some of her best sellers. Since Lewis uses shortening instead of butter, the vast majority of her desserts are vegan friendly. She also offers most of her dishes in gluten free options when asked. And it isn’t just desserts either. Lewis can’t help but gush when saying, “I love my savory stuff, just as much as my sweet stuff”. Her quiches and chicken pot pies are also popular among her customers.
Any one of Easy As Pie’s creations, cooling on a windowsill, would be enough to send an old-timey cartoon character floating through the air towards the delicious treat. Perhaps, that is the best way to describe the exquisiteness of Easy As Pie’s offerings - absolutely “floatworthy”.
Easy As Pie offers a wide array of floatworthy treats including pies, mini pies, galettes, pop tarts, hand pies, pot pies, and quiches. PHOTO CREDIT: Easy As Pie
I vividly remember when I first became one of those customers. My friends Sam and Emily had introduced me to Easy As Pie. The culprit that sucked me in was the Key lime. From the first bite, I knew there was something special about this bakery. I lived in Florida for two years and yet, here I was, in Lee’s Summit of all places, eating the best Key lime pie of my life. Scratch that, here I was eating the best pie of my life. The cream pie struck the perfect balance of sweet, citrusy, tangy, tart, and, dare I say, refreshing. The graham cracker crust was more perfectly formed than I ever believed was possible. I remember as a kid, thinking the Megazord was the best thing ever until Tommy Oliver whipped out his dagger flute* and summoned the Dragonzord from the ocean’s depths. I guess what I am trying to say is, yes, Easy As Pie’s Key lime pie is the Dragonzord of desserts. I said what I said. It changed everything that I knew a pie could be.
The Key Lime pie from Easy As Pie is truly transcendent. PHOTO CREDIT: Easy As Pie
On the day before Super Bowl LV, Easy As Pie set up their first pop-up since COVID in the West Bottoms. Despite freezing temperatures and snowfall, Easy As Pie sold out in under 20 minutes. Some would tell you that the eye-catching designs sell themselves. Others would credit the flavor and overall quality of Lewis’s pastries. However, I would tell you that the reason that Easy As Pie continues to surge in popularity is Ann Lewis.
When I placed that first-ever order last summer, I knew the pie was special. When I picked it up, I realized just how special the chef was. In even the few moments of a curbside pick-up, the exuberance of Ann Lewis is impossible to miss. Her devotion to her craft and her joy is evident in every post and in every interaction. Even more than the wonderful quality of her products, Easy As Pie has such a loyal, ever-growing, following because, through the magic of the Internet, we get to tag along for every innovative endeavor. We get to see how much fun Ann Lewis is having making all of us the “persnickety” pies that nobody in our family has the interest or know-how to make.
Whether you want to celebrate Pi Day, or if you simply have a sweet tooth that demands appeasement; in Kansas City, the solution is Easy As Pie.
Those Pesky Endnotes That I Often Insist On
*If you just hummed the Green Ranger’s iconic Dragonzord summoning tune to yourself upon reading this, congratulations! You are just as big of a nerd as I am.
While Sunday’s holiday does not celebrate the dessert, do you really need a reason to imbibe in delicious, wonderful, home-baked, locally made pie? PHOTO CREDIT: Easy As Pie
“I love my savory stuff, just as much as my sweet stuff.” - Ann Lewis. Pictured is a bacon, mozzarella, red pepper, and spinach quiche. PHOTO CREDIT: Easy As Pie
The 411:
Easy As Pie
IG: @easyaspiekc
www.easyaspiekansascity.com
”So, What Do I Get?”: It seems a bit obvious to just say pie. Personally, go for the mini pies! Each mini pie is the equivalent of about two slices. You will need to order at least three if it’s an online order but it will give you an excellent opportunity to sample a few different options before committing to a full pie. Any flavor is a winner but if in season, be sure to make one of those the Key lime.
And if you are a real pie aficionado, or just have a major sweet tooth, consider joining Easy As Pie’s “Pie of the Month Club” while slots are still available! It is the best way to get your hands on Kansas City’s best pie year-round at a discounted price.
