Dig Into A Slice Of Pie…Waitress’s Pie that is

In just a few days downtown restaurants will become filled with theater fans ready to dive into the world that is Jenna. But, as waitresses deliver hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and an assortment of the finest meals, there’s one thing guests will be left craving at the end of Waitress: pie. 

Like any Tony Award pre-party, Broadway Utica is ready to dig into the array of pies that Waitress delivers to help guests knead into the soft, buttery dough that’s sure to bake all their troubles away.

With Waitress’s deliciously dark comedy set on the formidable pie-making skills of Jenna, the waitress who is trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage, the pies mark the essence of the show. Drawing inspiration from Jenna’s life, the pies hold more than a drop of sugar and a touch of cream. Instead, they fold in the harsh realities of life best described in the dramatic titles throughout the performance.   

As colorful names extend the attention of Jenna’s emotional state, bittersweet chocolate pudding pours its way into “I Hate My Husband” pie and visual lumpy, beige oatmeal plops its way into the dull, uninteresting crust of the “Pregnant, Miserable, Self-Pitying Loser” pie. Yet, while audience members will find themselves consumed in the rich, vanilla custard inside “I Can’t Have No Affair Because It’s Wrong and I Don’t Want Earl to Kill Me” pie, the smooth, velvety texture of Jenna’s “Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie” will leave them lost in the chocolaty goodness that is Jenna. 

Since there are over a dozen pies featured throughout the performance, including “Kick In The Pants,” “Marshmallow Mermaid,” “Spaghetti” and “Peachy Keen Tarts” pie, it’s easy to find oneself worried about the ingredients and baking steps required to whip up a top-notch performance in the kitchen. However, just like the power of theater magic, where canned peaches are used to emulate bright egg yolks, melted chocolate is mixed with oil for a theatrical pour, buttercream is substituted for whipped cream to prevent melting from the stage lights, and inositol, a powdered form of Vitamin D, is used as flour, there’s nothing wrong with substituting a store-bought crust or Cool Whip in order to serve up a theatrically designed pie, or two, in honor of the premier of Waitress.

And, for those looking to create something truly authentic, we’ve included Waitress’s “Sweet Cherry Pie’ recipe directly from their Broadway playbill. 

SWEET CHERRY PIE RECIPE

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup butter, chilled and cubed

6 tablespoons ice water

Mix flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.

Add butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form.

Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until it forms a ball.

Gather into a ball.

Separate dough in half.

Roll into 2 balls.

Flatten into discs and wrap in plastic.

Chill for one hour or overnight.

Pie Filling

4 cups fresh tart cherries

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

Place cherries in saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

In a separate bowl mix sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pour cherries into sugar mixture and mix well.

Return the mixture to the stove and cook until thickened, then remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out pie dough into an 1/8” thick circle on a floured surface.

Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish.

Flute edges and trim remaining crust.

Brush the crust with egg wash.

Add cherry filling mixture.

Roll out second pie dough into an 1/8-inch thick circle and cut into 1-inch strips.

Place strips over filling to create a lattice pattern.

Seal edges of the lattice pieces to the fluted crust.

Brush entire crust with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining sugar

Bake for 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Set aside and cool.

 

Waitress | The Stanley Theatre

March 22 & 23 | 7:30pm