Finding the berry best pie

KINGSTON — It’s a tough job but someone has to do it.

Eat homemade pie, that is. And lots of it.

Following the sweet smell of success of the 2003 Kingston Farmers’ Market Berry Pie Contest, the organizers are inviting bakers again this Saturday to see who will be among this year’s upper crust.

There are two categories — Best Blackberry Pie and Best Mixed Berry Pie. The second category is for those who want to mix different types of berries, use berries other than blackberry or combine the berries with other fruit.

Participants need to bring their pies to the special pie booth at Mike Wallace Memorial Park by 11 a.m. Saturday. There is no entry fee and the judging will start at noon. Pies will be marked with numbers so every entry will be anonymous.

However, before anyone can dig into the scrumptious entries and make their own determinations, members of Kingston’s Red Hot Mommas (Red Hat Society) will have the first say as the contest’s official judges.

The first place winners will receive a $30 certificate to any vendor in the Farmers’ Market. The second place winners will have a choice of a Kingston Farmers’ Market tote bag or a T-shirt.

Following the Mommas’ final decisions, each pie will be sold by the slice for $2.50. There will also be

pies donated by local restaurants and caterers for sale by the slice. All the proceeds will donated to the Kingston Food Bank and ShareNet Food Bank. More than $700 was raised last year for the non-profits from the dessert contest.

Pie contest co-organizer Sue Duffin encourages bakers to submit a pie to sell as well as one to be judged to help raise money.

“It’s nice to sample the pies from everybody,” Duffin said on why the public should check out the event Saturday afternoon. “All the proceeds go to the food banks. It’s just a wonderful community thing. We can have pie, socialize and it’s at the farmers’ market.”