Posted via web from Grand Traverse Pie Co.

The first program brought GTPC’s famous pies forward to ‘Lend A Hand’ within each ‘Pie Community’.  Proceeds from each slice of pie sold on Saturdays during the month of February went to help local food banks.  The company sold over 13,000 slices of pie, and combined with the generous donations of loyal guests, the Grand Traverse Pie Company family generated over $5,000 to assist the hungry.  “We are very pleased with the response and support of our guests, it makes us all feel as though we truly are working together to help those in need.  We are looking forward to expanding these efforts through the year,” stated GTPC Founder Mike Busley.

Within days of a successful food bank program, the team at GTPC began helping Haiti with its ‘Lend A Hand’ effort.  By partnering with author and personality Mitch Albom, GTPC is helping to rebuild an orphanage in Haiti.  Albom recently traveled to Haiti, where he visited an orphanage run by a former Detroit native.  The orphanage was completely destroyed in the earthquake - the 70 children have no shelter, showers, or toilet facilities.  Albom plans on returning to Haiti in April with the funds to repair the facility.  His goal is to raise $70,000.

In support of the Caring and Sharing Mission, each of the 18 GT PC locations will donate $1.00 from each of its popular Sugar Cookies sold from March 10th through 31st March.  GTPC has set the goal of selling 10,000 during this time period, resulting in a significant donation to help Mitch in reaching his goal.  Mitch recently noted, “What Grand Traverse Pie is doing shows how much it cares for the needy – even many miles away.  Before the quake, these kids lived for a month on what we throw out, in just one day.  Now it is so much worse.  They lack basic facilities, yet have a spirit and hope in the future that is undimmed.  Our goal is to help this one place, 70 kids, and let people here at home feel a connection and the difference that caring and sharing can make.”

In addition to the funds generated with its Sugar Cookie promotion, GTPC will provide snacks and goodies for Mitch to take to the children when he returns.  GTPC will send 500 of its popular Sugar Cookies, and the GTPC team will package up 500 portions of healthy and tasty Michigan dried fruit, graciously donated by their Michigan Fruit Partners – The Cherry Marketing Institute, Smeltzer Orchard Company, Michigan Apple Committee, and the Michigan Blueberry Council.  As GTPC Co-Founder Denise Busley stated, “It warms my heart to know that our vision of a pie company, born 14 years ago, is now able to help these children in such need and so far away”.

Everyone can make a difference – with just one cookie at a time.  Visit any one of the eighteen GPTC locations and make a difference!  Additional Donations can also be made at each GTPC location throughout the month of March.

What better way to celebrate Michigan’s agriculture and tourism than pie made with Apples, Cherries, and Blueberries all from our wonderful state? This is exactly what Mike, Denise, Kellee and Bobby Busley thought when they were invited to the Capitol Building in Lansing to serve pie to our Michigan Senators.

“Our Great Lake State has natural resources and commodities to be extremely proud of, so many unmatched by any others worldwide,” states Mike. As a company, we are very focused on promoting the bounty of Michigan, making nearly 95% of purchases from Michigan companies; Michigan fruit (cherries, apples, blueberries, peaches, and strawberries), sugar, and flour all come from our State’s growers and processors.

Posted via email from Grand Traverse Pie Co.

Posted via web from Grand Traverse Pie Co.

Posted via web from Grand Traverse Pie Co.

‘Lend-a-Hand’ community outreach program will assist food banks throughout the Great Lakes State to provide the needed food stuffs throughout this winter season, a critical time of year for many in our state.

            Visitors to any Michigan GTPC will smell the aromas flowing from the open air, from-scratch kitchen.  Seasonal favorites like traditional Michigan apple, blueberry or cherry; pumpkin and pecan pies; or even chocolate cream - lend comforting scents that fill the entire café. 

National Pie Day is dedicated to the celebration of pie.  As part of our American heritage, this day is a perfect opportunity to pass on the comforts of Pie and celebrate giving back to our communities! 

The seventeen GTPC locations include:

¨       Ann Arbor  (734) 997-9702

¨       Brighton  (810) 225-7437

¨       Burton  (810) 742-9743

¨       East Lansing – (517) 203-3304

¨       Evansville, Indiana (812) 477-7437

¨       Grand Rapids – Kentwood (616) 977-7600

¨       Greenwood, Indiana (317) 885-7437

¨       Midland (989) 839-4872

¨       Mt. Pleasant  (989) 779-2743

¨       Norton Shores  (231) 799-3399

¨       Okemos  (517) 381-7437

¨       Petoskey  (231) 348-4060

¨       Plymouth (734) 459-9200

¨       Sterling Heights (586) 323-2743

¨       Traverse City (231) 922-7437

¨       Troy (248) 458-0322

¨       Terre Haute, Indiana (812) 235-1582

Grand Traverse Pie Company Corporate Office:

525 West Front Street

Traverse City, Michigan 49684

231-929-7841

National Pie Day was created by the American Pie Council.  Visit www.gtpie.com for more Grand Traverse Pie Company News.

via cherryfestival.org

Make sure to put the National Cherry Festival is on your calendar. July 3- July 10th, We will be there with guess what?

Cherry Pies!

Posted via web from Grand Traverse Pie Co.

The FREE event will highlight the ingredients of its ‘Proudly Made in Michigan’ partners (Apples, Blueberries, Cherries, Smeltzer Orchards, King Flour, Pioneer Sugar, and Lipari Foods) while benefiting the Macomb Intermediate School District Autistic Impaired Program and Utica Community Schools CORE Program.  Kids are invited to ‘Make & Bake’ their very own ABC Pie - FREE!

• Saturday, November 14, 2009
• 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain or Shine
• Grand Traverse Pie Company - 44951 Schoenherr Road, Sterling Heights

Grand Traverse Pie Company - the Sterling Heights location will contribute a portion of sales from both Friday, November 13th and Saturday, 14th (a perfect time to enjoy pies, lunch, dinner! ) along with its Michigan Partners will be collecting donations from the ‘Kid’s Make and Bake Road Show’ event to benefit the Macomb Intermediate School District Autistic

Impaired Program.  The Autistic Impaired (AI) Program is to promote learning for students with autism by providing instruction in an educational environment designed to develop independence in communication, social and community skills.

For GTPC Sterling Heights franchisee Renee Clark, the reasons for hosting the inaugural Kid’s Make and Bake Road Show are many.  “Thanksgiving starts off the most festive time of the year; we at GT Pie Company in Sterling Heights along with my family feel it is important to appreciate children for all of their strengths and weaknesses, whether it is developmental, physical or emotional.  The free pie making event is something that encompasses all children, of all ages.  We hope that through this event we can bring some awareness to the community about Autism and the great work the MISD program and its people do every day”, stated Clark.

 Autism is a reality in Renee’s family; her nephew attends the Autistic Impaired program at Wilde Elementary, where a portion of the funds will be distributed to purchase much needed sensory equipment.  The GTPC team will also donate funds to Monfort Elementary for its CORE program.

The GTPC team will also host elementary classes from Macomb County Intermediate School District and Utica Community School throughout the day on Friday, November 13 as part of its ‘Kid’s Make and Bake  Road Show’ event.
  
Grand Traverse Pie Company is Proudly promoting Michigan, doing business in Michigan, and its Michigan vendors and partners.  From the very beginning in 1996, the Michigan Company has been committed to using the freshest, local ingredients.  Over 95% of purchases come from Michigan growers and businesses.  From orchards and processors, to distributors like Lipari Foods, GTPC is Proud to support the region and its people contributing to growing a stronger economy based on supporting local business and communities.  Together ‘Michigan Grown’ companies are building a brighter future.

For Grand Traverse Pie Company Bakery Café locations, our brand story, and to order your favorite Thanksgiving and Holiday pies on-line, visit www.gtpie.com

Trager says that in times of abundance, pumpkin pie was one of the foods that 17th-century Americans enjoyed. In those days, he adds “meals were not served in courses. Dinner might begin with pie and end with boiled eel, if that was the way someone wanted it.”

You can bet lots of folks today would be perfectly content to begin their Thanksgiving meal with a slice of delicious pumpkin pie.

“Pumpkin pie is a celebration of a harvest in your mouth,” says panelist Erik Marlin. “And this tasting has broadened my appreciation of what makes a good pie. I learned that it’s easy to over spice them. Also, the crust needs to be on the dry side to balance the moisture of the pie.”

After tasting six brands of pumpkin pie, the panel decided they were plum crazy about the sample from Grand Traverse Pie Company.

Tasting results
In a blind tasting, The Detroit News Taste Panel rated the following pumpkin pies on taste, texture and appearance on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).

1. Grand Traverse Pie Company Pumpkin Pie (multiple locations)
Average score: 4.7
Price: $13.99 per 9-inch pie

Comments: My favorite! Great pumpkin flavor. Good crust. Very smooth filling. Rich, dark color. Good spice level. The flavors harmonize like a barbershop quartet. Tastes just like my mom’s.

2. Big Boy Restaurant Pumpkin Pie (multiple locations)
Average score: 4.2
Price: $7.99 per 9-inch pie

Comments: An archetypical pie. Very delicious and not over-spiced. Traditional color. Sweet and mild. Good crust and good flavor.

3. (TIE) Kirkland Pumpkin Pie (Costco: multiple locations)
Average score: 4.1
Price: $5.99 per 11-inch pie

Comments: Very good … but it looks and tastes kind of like a sweet potato pie. Delicious! Nice orange color. Pretty and also moist. Nice rounded flavors. The crust stands up to the pie. The filling is nice and soft.

3. (TIE) Homestyle Pumpkin Pie (Kroger: multiple locations)
Average score: 4.1
Price: $7.99 per 9-inch pie

Comments: Crust is a little thicker than the others. Crust is a bit mushy. Spicy sweet. A bit over-spiced. Too much allspice. Pale.

5. Hiller’s Market Bakery Pumpkin Pie (multiple locations)
Average score: 3.1
Price: $8.99 per 9-inch pie

Comments: Deep flavor. Coffee color. Very soft crust. Burning spice. Too much allspice. Overcooked, dry.

6. Country Commons Pumpkin Pie (Hollywood Market: multiple locations)
Average score: 3.0
Price: $6.99 per 9-inch pie

Comments: Lovely color. Nice crust, Moderate pumpkin flavor. Baby food-soft filling. Not very good. Intensely spiced. Very spicy.

By Judith Harris Solomon / Special to The Detroit News