Food network chef challenges local 'Pie Moms'

Bangor Daily News - Bangor, ME, USA - Chef Bobby Flay, host of Food Network’s show "Throw Down with Bobby Flay," made a surprise visit to the Berry Manor Inn in Rockland on Monday to challenge the famous "Pie Moms" to a bake-off.

The bake-off became part of the three-day Rockland Pie Day festival that began Saturday to raise money for the local food pantry.

Food Network has been filming scenes over the weekend for a one-hour show called "Pie a la Road" about pie traditions in Rockland and other small communities in the nation.

Berry Manor Inn co-owner Cheryl Michaelsen’s mother, Ally Taylor, and mother-in-law, Janet LaPosta, are the competing "Pie Moms" who have different ways of making pie crust.

"I thought his coming was wonderful, especially donating his time for the food pantry," said LaPosta. "We really did have fun."

Flay said he got a couple of baking tips from the Pie Moms, and "they got a couple of tips from us."

"That’s the great thing about cooking — you share your experiences with other cooks," Flay said.

Taylor said she didn’t know who Flay was when he arrived.

"I’m not a big Food Network watcher," she said. "But I understand he is very well-known, and a lot of people watch him.

"He was a good sport, though, and he was a lot of fun," she said.

Taylor said she did learn from his shredding hard butter into the dough and brushing cream and brown sugar on the crust before baking.

"But I’ll probably never do it," she said.