(Photo by Ally P on Unspash)
Pretty much everyone in East Baltimore eagerly awaited the opening of the freshly painted blue corner building throughout the cold winter pandemic months. Then finally the announcement came: it was Pie Time! Not only was it figurative, but literal. The cute corner bistro, Pie Time had opened its doors, if on a limited basis, to customers waiting to savor all of the goodies we'd been hearing about.
Pie Time offers a wide array of both full-size sweet confenctions and savory hand pies for hungry customers. The list is long and varied, and changes with the seasons. On a given day, folks can still in and find traditional fruit pies like Strawberry Rhubarb, Apple Almond, Berry Slam, or a delectable Peach 'n Berries, or if your palate craves savory, the selection might include Beef Carbonnade, Thai Curry Chicken, Chili Verde, or even Mushroom Bourginon.
Now that spring is here and summer isn't far behind, lucky Baltimoreans don't even have to visit Pie Time to get their fix. The talented Pie Time chefs will be serving up their wares at two of Baltimores biggest Farmer's Markets, the 32nd St Waverly Market and the Baltimore Farmer's Market & Bazaar. But if you're in the mood for real Pie authenticity, stop by the real thing, because it's not just pies that you're in for. The coffee at Pie Time is light years ahead of your normal drip brew. They've got their own system, and it's pretty far out. (Okay, to be fair, even the coffee is mobile, and you can get it at the farmer's markets, but heading to their shop is an experience all its own.)
The coffee system is a classic Astoria Rapallo which they have fine-tuned to offer mobile coffee, and they only serve Little Amps Coffee, from nearby roasters in Harrisburg, PA. Their effort to source locally and responsibly is noticeable in nearly all they do.
Owner Max Reim is a Baltimore local, like many of his fixtures and nearly all of his ingredients. According to Pie Time's website, Max first tested out the pie market by joining the local farmer's market scene just four years ago, then leveled up step by step, growing his fare at Baltimore's incubator B-More kitchen. The co-working kitchen space allows food entrepreneurs to work with what they call "an arsenal of equipment" that they might not otherwise have, and to hone their skills without the huge investment they might have to sink into a full-scale kitchen enterprise as they break into the industry. Reim began his industry-level work there, and before long, he was more than ready to hit the market. And most certainly, the market was ready for him.
After acquiring Pie Time's formal home at 3101 E Baltimore Street, and a series of construction hurdles, and then of course a pandemic, Pie Time was formally open in the fall of 2020. Partnering with other local vendors like Bullseye Sriracha has been keeping Pie Time at the top of the takeaway food list, and true to its roots in the farmer's market arena. There's hardly ever a time when locals don't think of the shop as the go-to place for a weekend treat, and clamor for more goodies when the place is closed to offer pies at one of the area markets.
If you visit the Patterson Park neighborhood of Baltimore this summer, plan your trip to Pie Time, as their hours are limited (probably becuse pies take time and love, just like your grandmother's did), and be sure to leave room in your belly for at lease one slice. Or look for them in one of the popular local markets. You won't be sorry you made time for pie.