A year of pie

Exactly 364 days ago, I sat and watched a small community Fourth of July pie bake-off and hatched a plan.

The woman who won the best pie award had won several years in a row and I'd imagine those who took second and third places had as well.

"Wouldn't it be a scream," I whispered to my husband, "if some unknown came in here and won this thing? You know, a total Cinderella story, swooping in here and winning every category?"

He raised an eyebrow and gave me a sideways look.

"You've never baked a pie in your life."

"I know. But I've got a year to learn."

And so it began.

Since that day, I figure I've read a dozen or more cookbooks, peeled 120 apples, gone through 65 sticks of butter and baked about 45 pies. My taste testers have included friends, neighbors, family members and coworkers.

My husband has even come to bed to find me curled up with a cookbook. Or two.

I've even dreamt of pie.

I spent all day today, the day before the 2012 bake-off, prepping and baking the four pies I will enter with hopes of unseating the previous victors.

Tomorrow the judges will determine first through third places in each category and award a medal for each. Then, they'll judge all the first place pies to determine the Best of the Best. While it'd be great to get the top honor, I've set a more realistic goal -- to bring home four medals, one in each category.

Here's my (hopefully) winning line-up, one entry in each of the four categories:

Berry: Blueberry-Lemon Twist
Fruit: Classic Cherry Pie
Cream: Old School Chocolate Cream Pie
Apple: Deep-dish Awesome Apple Crumb

So today, on one of the hottest days in recent years, I cranked the A/C and prebaked all except the apple, which I'll pop in the oven tomorrow morning.

Judging takes place at noon tomorrow. And when it's all said and done, I'll either emerge victorious or will be left to eat a little crow.

Either way, it's been a fun ride.