MY Story

My name is Teeny Lamothe and I want to be a lady pie baker.  I want to learn everything there is to know about pie, one pie shop at a time which is why I'm embarking on what I'm fondly referring to as my 'Tour of Pie.'

For as far back as I can remember, Ive been baking. It started with my mom (quite the lady baker herself), who used to provide me with miniature sized tins of whatever she was making so that I could bake right alongside her. Over the years, not only have my tins gotten bigger but so has my passion for pie. Its a tricky thing though, turning a passion into a career, and I still have a lot to learn about the art of baking, as well as the ins and outs of running a business.  So onward and upward, and all things pie. It has been a year of baking pies for friends, and the time has come to start apprenticing. I have this irrepressible, old world, romantic notion in my head that apprenticing is the fullest way to learn a trade; to be in a shop, learning and doing, working under a master/mentor who can provide invaluable real world know-how.

Im taking my education into my own hands, and launching into the Tour of Pie. Id like to spend six to twelve months traveling the United States, hopping from pie shop to pie shop, spending a few weeks at each bakery, and soaking up as much experience and advice as possible. Its an ambitious project, and some of the details have yet to be worked out. Total pie immersion. When I'm finished with the tour, I'll be ready to start my own business.

WHY PIE?

Pie speaks of home for me. Once a week my mom would get out her tins and bake pies for the week. We would have breakfast pies and dessert pies, and every year on our birthdays my brother and I would request our favorite pies rather than have a birthday cake. It's a pastry that takes time and effort but also leaves room for playful creativity. I love baking with seasonal ingredients; pies truly enhance the flavors of whatever season you're baking them in. For me, baking pies is a way of honoring my mom and my grandmother. I'm taking the time to perfect recipes seeped in tradition and putting my own spin on it. For me, pie is home and people always have room for a slice of pie. 

WHAT SHOPS ARE ON BOARD

High 5 Pie - Seattle, Washington

Emmy's Organics - Ithaca, New York

Petsi Pies - Boston, Massachusetts

Several other bakeries have been in touch, and we are working on the scheduling.

The Impact

Once I've completed my pie education I'll be ready to start baking. By the time the tour is over I will have gained enough knowledge and wherewithal to start my own pie business. I don't have an exact picture of what that business is going to look like (which is part of the reason I'm going on this journey) but I do know that at the end of the trip I'll be ready for anything and I'll be following my dreams. By donating to this project you are helping me get an education, but you are also helping me earn my 'lady bakership' and in return I'll be ready to give the world teeny pies.
The Tour of Pie is something that I've been working incredibly hard on this past year and I think in order to get as much out of it as I can it needs to last between 6 to 12 months. Unfortunately, without your help I'll have to cut the trip short. All of these apprenticeships are volunteer based, I won't be making money so every little bit helps.

What I Need & What You Get

By funding this project you will be helping me become the best darn lady pie baker I can become. You will essentially be helping shape my pie education.  Since it's a year of apprenticing for me, I'll need help funding the travel portion of the tour. I'll also be making lots of pies on my own time, so any additional funding will go toward organic and local ingredients.

The largest portion of funding will go toward travel. Some of the bakeries are close enough that I am able to drive from place to place, but occasionally I have to fly.

Funding will also go toward cost of living. Most of the bakeries I've chosen have been in cities where I can rely on friends to put me up. However, I still need to eat... and occasionally buy shampoo, so a small portion of the money donated with go toward cost of living.

Any additional funds will go toward pie ingredients. I'll be baking and selling my pies while on tour. I make a very large effort to buy locally and I definitely use seasonal ingredients.

I've given myself a budget of $650 a month, and I'd like to continue touring for the next ten months.

Other Ways You Can Help

check out my blog: teenypies.tumblr.com I like to share stories and pictures from my trip and wax poetic about pie

you can also follow me on the facebook: teenypies

or follow me on twitter: teenypies

You can share this project with all of your friends and family. I'm a huge believer in word of mouth, so start talking about pie!

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Photos by: Katie McKenzie Photography