August the 4th, 2011 is the date for the Pie Off. It’s at my place. My first pie-off.

Now… for those of you new to the tradition like me, here are the newly created, but highly official …

Official Pie-Off Rules

1. Each guest must bring a pie – sweet or savoury. No looky-loos.
2. You can have your pie – and eat it too. That’s the rule.
3. The ideal number of pie-off participants is 12 — the largest number of slices a pie can be divided into without compromising its shape and texture.
4. Pie-off attendance is secret. Sotte voce. If you are invited, keep that invitation under wraps, to yourself. There’s not enough pie to go around. Too many people love pie.
5. Participants may enter both the Sweet and the Savoury competition.
6. It is a competition. Pies are hotly debated, championed, and tasted.
7. Each pie is divided into the number of slices of participants.
8. Proper pie-off protocols must be followed: Savoury pies to start, a light lettuce salad to cleanse the palate, followed by the sweet pie selections.
9. Everyone gets a vote and a slice of each pie. One vote per pie.
10. As the pie is tasted, the pie cook tells the story of the pie. Where the ingredients came from, the tale of the gathering or hunting for the pie innards, the labours that lead to the pie, the pie lore…
11. After all pies have been tried, the “off” part of the Pie Off begins. Votes are calculated for the winning pie in each of the two categories.
12. In reality, everyone’s a winner as we all eat a lotta pie and have a great time together!

The Pie Off!