Lisa Yelagin and Anne Gerr are serving up Australian classics like meat pies and sausage rolls in Easton, along with a fresh variety of fruit, custard and crumb-crusted delights. Stop in this month to indulge in their selection of seasonal peach treats!
Lisa Yelagin & Anne Gerr
Co-Owners
Tell us about your journey to opening Pie + Tart!
Both of us had been interested in food and cooking for years, and we each had formal training—Lisa in an apprenticeship program in Australia, and Anne at the Culinary School at Kendall College, then in Evanston, Illinois. Skip ahead a decade or two, and we both were inspired to return to the kitchen after years of doing other things, like raising kids, moving hither and yon, and the like. Fate stepped in, and we found ourselves back at it at Common Space, a commercial kitchen space in Downtown Easton. It took slightly more than a fortnight to realize how much we had in common, and a split second later, plans to join forces were hatched.
Describe what you mean when you say that Pie + Tart is “an urban bakery.”
The phrase refers to our desire to draw inspiration from the energy, sophistication and foodways of not only great cities we've both been lucky to visit and live in, but also to recognize the vibrant little city of Easton.
Tell us about your range of offerings. How much does “This Week's Bake” menu vary?
We do have a few items that can almost always be found in the shop: sausage rolls, chicken pot pies and apple turnovers come to mind, though we stick to categories rather than having the same set menu items. This means the customer will always be likely to find a vegetarian dinner pie, a choice of meat pies and an ever-changing selection of fruit, custard and crumb-crusted pies. Customer favorites might rotate more frequently, but there will be plenty of new things, too.
You specialize in Australian pies and sausage rolls. Tell us about those!
For whatever reason, the English tradition of meat pies was kept alive in Australia to a degree that did not survive here in the U.S., at least not much past the always-comforting chicken pot pie. Down Under, handheld meat pies are a staple at sporting events, as road food at gas stations and on every school's lunch menu, while sausage rolls effectively take the place of hot dogs, in all possible scenarios.
What kind of seasonal treats will be available this month?
Peaches, peaches and more peaches will dominate the selection this month, along with all of late summer's bounty, like nectarines, berries and the first of the new season apples.
Talk about the Secret Pie Society!
As we have sworn oaths of secrecy, we can only say that it is a pie subscription service. Please investigate on our website for all the tasty details!
You offer frozen items at a discounted price. Tell us about that and how locals can take advantage of it.
Periodically, and to keep our inventory fresh, we do discount frozen items. They are always delicious, and terribly convenient to have at home in case of pie emergencies.
Tell us about something you are absolutely obsessed with right now.
Rhubarb! It's an amazing vegetable that we use like a fruit in all sorts of wonderful pies. We sell a shocking number of strawberry rhubarb pies—with crumb topping, cobbler topping, lattice, etc. Once it's gone, though, we just have to wait for next year.
What do you love about being based in Easton?
Easton has the most vibrant, creative and supportive small-business community! Not to mention, the best customers in the entire world—we are lucky enough to be able to call many of our customers our friends.
444 Northampton St., Easton |484.202.0235 | 2inhand.com
