Spatwatch

Pies Poised to Overthrow Cupcakes in Dessert War

Heather Horn Nov 17, 2010

"Pie had been lurking below the radar in recent years," write Julia Moskin, "taking cover during the ice cream trend, perhaps waiting to see which way the macaron tide would turn." No, this is not a Le Carré knockoff thriller starring desserts. Moskin is writing in The New York Times on the rather serious subject of food trends. Pies are about to end the cupcake frenzy and become the next "it" sweet.

But is the Times right about this incipient hostile takeover? Signs of the coming coup were actually spotted a while back. Here's Ron Ruggless at Nation's Restaurant News reporting in October on restaurant marketing consultant Andrew Freeman's predictions for 2011:

"If I had one trend--one trend--of the year that I could predict, that’s why it's in the No. 1 position, this would be the trend for pie," he said. "I think that we’re going to make room for pie shops in the next year." He said it follows on the heels of cupcake shops.

Ominous. Hiding behind a clever veneer of crust--oh, the subterfuge!--the pie has already begun to win over food bloggers. "Pie is difficult to mess up and always comforting," wrote one this Tuesday (and this even on a blog called The Cupcake Avenger). "I'd even be willing to give it my vote as the next 'it' dessert."

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that the tide seems to be turning from cupcakes to pie, which I adore much more," adds Pat at Eating L.A.

Not everyone is on board, though. "That people pay to hear this nonsense," writes OC Weekly's Dave Lieberman about the food trend news, "is hysterical (though the fact that I get paid to complain about it is even more hysterical)."

Offers food blogger Jason Mark Anderman:

Personally, I think this is much ado about nothing, as who can't accept pies and cupcakes peacefully co-existing? Can't our desserts just get along?

No, Jason. That's just what the cupcake overlords want you to think.

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Heather Horn