WASHINGTON (ABC7) —Livin' the Pie Life founders Wendy MacCallum and Heather Sheire joined GMW to discuss their award-winning treats. The two Arlington moms began baking pies for their church five years ago and opened Livin' the Pie Life's first location this past April. The shop has already been named "Best Pies" by Washingtonian Magazine.
For millions, Thanksgiving Day is defined by two treats: NFL football and delicious pie. To honor these great fall customs we asked one pie shop from each of the three cities hosting NFL games this Thanksgiving to provide us a sample for a pie-tasting contest.
The winner: Heather Sheire's Southern Pumpkin Praline Pie from Livin' the Pie Life. Her confection is well-balanced with a sweet, crunchy topping and a smooth filling.
Southern Pumpkin Praline Pie
Our winner! Recipe courtesy of Livin’ the Pie Life in Arlington, Virginia
"We had flaky apple pie, mile high pie, Key lime pie, and mixed berry pie. All were wonderful, but the bright flavor of the Key lime was outstanding!" —Yelper Larry L.
"It's a small little pie shop, but they've perfected their craft. We got the buttermilk pie and a custard lemon pie. Both were delicious and not too sweet with a flaky crust." —Yelper Dan B.
The pie shop on North Glebe Road started as a farmers market stall.
Livin’ the Pie Life owners Wendy MacCallum (left) and Heather Sheire. Photo by Amy Moore
In April,Livin’ the Pie Lifeowners Heather Sheire and Wendy MacCallum (both Barcroft residents) moved out of their farmers market stall and opened their first brick-and-mortar shop on North Glebe Road, where their splendiferous pies ($22-$36) are selling out lickety-split.
“The crust is what makes our pie,” says Sheire, who learned the art of the handmade pie crust from her uncle. “It’s flaky like a croissant and buttery like puff pastry. We use the best-quality butter, in a 4-to-1 ratio with trans-fat-free shortening.”
Watch for peach pies to start rolling out around mid-July once local freestone peaches become available. For the filling, the master bakers toss the sliced fruit with lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar and a little bit of cornstarch.
Or, for a savory taste of summer, go for the tomato pie. “We layer sharp cheddar cheese, sweet onions, scallions, fresh basil, tomatoes and a little bit of mayo and bake it to golden brown and bubbling,” MacCallum says, likening the flavor profile to a margarita pizza. “But it also has a quiche-y quality. People go crazy for it.” Call us crazy. www.livinthepielife.com
Washingtonian Magazine -“BEST PIE” 2016 & 2017 Best in Washington
This adorable pie shop boasts some amazing flavors, such as Brown Butter Coconut Almond and Nectarine. As if their pies didn't sound good enough already, all of their tins and boxes are 100% recyclable.
Building on their farmers market success, the popular Arlington pie purveyors will hang a shingle at the intersection of Glebe Road and Lee Highway.
Pie fans rejoice: the delectable pies that Heather Sheire and Wendy MacCallum have been baking up for local farmers markets (and by special order) under the brand nameLivin’ the Pie Life will have a permanent home by year’s end.
Courtesy of Livin' the Pie Life
Sheire and MacCallum just finalized a lease agreement to open up shop at 2166 Glebe Road, a 30s-era building at the edge of the Glebewood Village Historic District. They will occupy the commercially zoned first floor of the garden apartment building, and plan to build a patio on the side, where customers can enjoy a slice of pie with tea or coffee.
Livin' the Pie Life owners Heather Sheire (right) and Wendy MacCallum.
“All signs point to go,” Sheire reported jubilantly on Wednesday, confirming that demo crews have already started to overhaul the 1,100 square-foot space and install a commercial kitchen. The shop’s location in a historic building is perfect for their business, she adds, because “pies are traditional, and we wanted a building with some character.”
Life of pie: Two baking moms find Arlington’s sweet spot
When Heather Sheire and Wendy MacCallum started selling pies at the Clarendon farmers market three years ago, they were unprepared for the response.
Soon after their first visit, Sheire said, “ we started having people come to the market just for us.”
The pair, who run the Arlington-basedLivin’ the Pie Life, branched out last fall and started selling pies at the Westover farmers market, as well. They consistently sell out of the 100 pies they bake for each market session.
“We sell as many pies as we can possibly bake,” MacCallum said.
The two Arlingtonians met at a PTA function at Barcroft Elementary School. Sheire had started a pie business in 2011 with another mom, as an outlet for her love of baking. When that mom left in 2012, MacCallum came on board."
