Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fair Pie Competition

Ah, the fair! The glorious rides, the tantalizing smells of kettle corn, the greasy Chinese food. To many, the exhibits in the Charles Brown auditorium are the main event. And for others, the Destruction Derby is the focal point of the fair. But the event that truly harnesses a raw sense of community, the competition that defines the tri-counties as a cradle of “down home fun,” the genuine centerpiece of the fair, is the pie competition. Too often disregarded by fair-goers, the humble pie competition offers not only fun and friendly competition, but decadent homemade pies as well.

Jennifer and I decided to experience the pie competition for ourselves. This year the pie competition was nestled between the Charles Brown and floraculture buildings, and the flavor to be judged was peach. We arrived early, around 5:45, and I was surprised to see that the bleachers were already full. Lots of people were milling about, furtively eyeing the delicious pies from a distance.

We met with the official panel of judges, Monica Scronce, Valerie Casey, Kathy Lee Smith, Monica Stallings, and of course, Larry Stallings, or the “token” male, as the the other judges referred to him. During our interview with the judges, we learned what makes a first place pie so special. The perfect peach pie requires fresh, tasty filling (no canned peaches!), must be cooked all the way through, and must exhibit a beautiful, flaky, golden-brown crust. And of course, the judges are always keeping an eye out for creativity in the pies.

Distinctive pies are ideal for such “an unique competition,” as Larry Stallings pointed out. According to some of the judges, no other county fair in California hosts a pie competition with a flavor that changes year to year. Larry Stallings also mentioned another unique quality of the Tri-County Fair’s pie competition; “the money [raised] goes to charity.” This year, by selling slices of the competing pies for a donation of two dollars, the pie competition was able to raise money for Taylor Gunnoe and her baby, who has a rare birth defect. The money raised will help to cover medical bills and other costs of living for Taylor Gunnoe and her family.

While the judges deliberated on which pies were winners, Jennifer and I searched the audience for a competing baker. We found Brooke, who had experience from competing in the Great Pie Competition of 1996. When asked why she decided to enter this year’s pie competition, Brooke told us, “it’s fun to see so many people who love to bake [in one place].”

Jennifer and I also got to interview a terrific student, as well as a beloved faculty member of BUHS, at the Tri-County pie competition. According to sophomore Josh Santana, he had attended the competition because a friend had told him the pies there were delicious. “And she wasn’t lying,” he added, motioning to the scrumptious pie he was eating. Mrs. Thompson, English teacher at BUHS, declared that the best part about the pie competition was that “everyone is happy for everyone,” despite the underlying tension of competition.

Finally, the moment of truth. All pies had been judged, and the winners were about to be announced. Judge Valerie Casey stood, dressed appropriately in a pie apron, and first announced the winners of the Junior Division. First place went to Will Kemp, and second place went to his brother, Ben Kemp. The boys’ originality in their pies, and especially the ideal flakiness of their crusts, awarded them with the first and second place prize – one hundred dollars for first place, fifty dollars for second place. All prizes, for Junior and Adult Divisions, were provided by Anne Marie’s Kitchen. Unfortuneately, the Kemp brothers could not be reached for interview.

Now came the big news – who would be crowned the reigning champion of peach pie? Everyone held their breath. Silence. Tension filled the air – then the announcement! Second place went to Diane Craft, for her tasty pie, made with organic peaches from Apple Hill. The first place Adult’s Division pie, and grand prize winner of five hundred dollars, went to Joni Ferrell, for her exemplary, lattice-crusted, traditional peach pie.

According to Joni Ferrell, her prize-winning pie took two hours to make, with peaches being sourced from her neighbors. Joni Ferrell decided to enter the pie competition because she felt it was “fun to try new things.” Beaming and looking very surprised, Ferrell proclaimed, “you’d think I’d just won the lottery.”

photographer Jeniffer Velazquez

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