As Thanksgiving approaches, bakeries like Mom's Apple Pie in Leesburg and Martine's Pastries in Lexington are bustling with activity. Both bakeries experience a surge in demand for pies, with preparations beginning months in advance. Popular choices include apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies. These bakeries have adapted to high demand with strategies like online ordering and doubling production to ensure everyone gets a taste of their favorite holiday pies.
The aroma of freshly baked pies is a hallmark of Thanksgiving preparations in many American towns. Local bakeries become hotspots as they gear up to meet the increased demand for holiday pies. In Leesburg, Virginia, and Lexington, Kentucky, two bakeries, Mom's Apple Pie and Martine's Pastries, illustrate the bustling activity and meticulous planning involved in preparing for one of the busiest times of the year.
In Leesburg, Mom’s Apple Pie sees its busiest season during Thanksgiving, surpassing even Christmas in terms of pie sales. Owner Avis Renshaw starts planning as early as September, preparing butter crust shells and coordinating logistics to handle the rush. The bakery also introduced an online pick-up system to streamline the process, setting up a trailer at Virginia Village shopping center to distribute pies ordered online. Despite the option of online ordering, many customers still prefer picking up their pies in person, queuing up to select from favorites like apple crumb, pumpkin, and pecan pies[1].
Martine's Pastries in Lexington also experiences a significant uptick in demand around Thanksgiving, with preparations beginning several months in advance. Samantha Burke, head of the pastry department, oversees the meticulous planning and production of 300 pies for the holiday. The bakery emphasizes a mix of tradition and innovation in its recipes, such as combining fresh and dried apples soaked in whiskey for their apple pies. To ensure they meet demand, they often double the number of pies actually ordered[2].
The effort and enthusiasm put forth by local bakeries like Mom's Apple Pie and Martine's Pastries showcase the importance of Thanksgiving pies in American culture. Despite the pressures of high demand, these establishments strive to maintain quality and tradition, ensuring that the holiday is marked with flavors that evoke nostalgia and gather families around the table.
"Thanksgiving is twice as busy for us than Christmas, and everybody thinks Christmas would be busy. But with Christmas you have different cultural desserts, and you have different religious desserts. And not everybody is Christian for Christmas, and yet everybody is American, and everybody does Thanksgiving and that is what drives them out." - Avis Renshaw