Lauren Saria

The judges, hungry for pie

Eating pie is pretty much the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and at Saturday's Pie Social, there were plenty of celebrity pies to enjoy -- 14, to be exact. At first, as we judges waited around for a seemingly endless procession of pies to be brought to the table, it seemed a bit daunting to have to taste them all. Luckily, I started my day with a five-mile hike to get nice and hungry, and it turns out that I never tire of eating pie.

See also:
- Pie Social 2012: The Winners
- Sticky Toffee Pudding at St. Francis

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Amy Silverman

Good morning! Has your sugar hangover worn off yet???

Thanks to the hundreds of folks who came out Saturday afternoon for the third annual Chow Bella/Roosevelt Row Pie Social. From the bright sunshine to Tobie Milford's music to spontaneous swing dancing on the grass, it was a lovely day.

Oh yes, and there was pie.

See also:

- Slideshow: Pie Social 2012 in Photos
- So Charlie Blonkenfeld of Chaka Chaka is Making Pie Now
- Pie Social 2012: All the Sweet Details and Profiles of all 14 Celeb Bakers

Fourteen of the finest chefs in town baked their hearts out. We bet you'd like to know who won the competition, huh?

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Lauren Saria

Kristen Campbell works in the kitchen at St. Francis

Forks up, Phoenix! Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row present the third annual Pie Social Saturday, November 3rd, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. We've got an all-star line up of bakers making pies for you to taste, and from now til Pie Social, we'll introduce them to you, one by one.

Today: Kristen Campbell of St. Francis makes cheesecake batter.

See also:
- "There Once Was a Judge from Pie Social...." Meet the Winner of Our Limerick Contest
- Wait 'Til You See the Final Celebrity Baker Lineup for Pie Social 2012!

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There's going to be a lot to see and do at the Chow Bella/Roosevelt Row Pie Social this Saturday, but stay focused -- there are going to be a lot people on the same mission: Drop off the pies (optional), get the tasting tickets, find the best pies, taste, and repeat.

You might need a little help to boost your pie-eating efficiency ... and figure out where the hell the water (and the ice cream) is. And that's where we come in. Here's a peek at our hints and hot spots for the Pie Social on Nov. 3:

illustration by Claire Lawton

More hints after the jump ...

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Lauren Saria

Cooking in Virgina Senior's under-renovation home

Forks up, Phoenix! Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row present the third annual Pie Social Saturday, November 3rd, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. We've got an all-star line up of bakers making pies for you to taste, and from now til Pie Social, we'll introduce them to you, one by one.

Today: Virginia Senior of Urban Beans

See also:
- Wait 'Til You See the Final Celebrity Baker Lineup for Pie Social 2012!
- Vodka Is NOT the Secret to the Perfect Pie Crust. We've Got a Way Better Recipe -- and White Russians, Too

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Forks up, Phoenix! Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row present the third annual Pie Social Saturday, November 3rd, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. We've got an all-star line up of bakers making pies for you to taste, and from now til Pie Social, we'll introduce them to you, one by one.

Today: Traci Wilbur of Pie Snob makes pumpkin cheesecake.

See also:
-Wait 'Til You See the Final Celebrity Baker Lineup for Pie Social 2012!
-Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row's Pie Social 2011

She might run her pie business solo, but that hasn't stopped Traci Wilbur from becoming a tour de force in the local pie scene. Perhaps it's her impressive digs that put her over the top -- Wilbur creates and bakes in a woodshed turned chef's dream kitchen behind her home.

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Old Dixie's Facebook

Pie Social's just around the corner and if you're wondering about the savory options to counteract the inevitable excess of sweet, don't worry, we've got you covered. Let us present Old Dixie's Southern Kitchen.

From Northern California to Nashville, New Orleans and Phoenix, Michael Babcock has been around the block and back again. But more than anywhere else, he felt the call from the South - the home of fried okra, cheesy grits, gumbo...and Cajun everything. As of a month ago he's brought his favorite southern flavors to the Valley, and has been winning over even tried and true, down-home Dixie-ites.

See also:
- Pie Social 2012 All the Sweet Details
- New Food Truck Alert: Goodness Gracious Great Balls & Sliders Coming Soon

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Diderique Konig

Forks up, Phoenix! Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row present the third annual Pie Social Saturday, November 3rd, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. We've got an all-star line up of bakers making pies for you to taste, and from now til Pie Social, we'll introduce them to you, one by one.

Today: Corianne Sizemore of Treehouse Bakery makes raspberry pop tarts.

See also:
- Pie Social 2012: All the Sweet Details
-Wait 'Til You See the Final Celebrity Baker Lineup for Pie Social 2012!
-Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row's Pie Social 2011

Corianne Sizemore might not be vegan herself, but her bakery sure is. You won't find dairy, eggs, butter -- or any other animal product, for that matter -- in this kitchen. She greets us at Treehouse Bakery wearing jeans, a white baker's coat and a bright smile.

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We have a winner!

We received more than a dozen limericks in our quest to select a judge (who will join our esteemed panel) for Pie Social, Saturday, November 3 from 2 to 6 p.m. on Roosevelt and 2nd streets in Phoenix.

See also:
- The Final Celebrity Lineup for Pie Social 2012
- Pie Social 2012: All the Sweet Details

The third annual event -- co-sponsored by Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row -- will feature pies baked by 14 celebrity chefs, as well as a community pie sharing section. (Dust off your cookbook -- bring 2 pies and you'll get 5 tasting tickets; or pay $10 for 5 tickets, proceeds go to Bioscience High School clubs.)

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Diderique Konig

Forks up, Phoenix! Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row present the third annual Pie Social Saturday, November 3rd, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix. We've got an all-star line up of bakers making pies for you to taste, and from now til Pie Social, we'll introduce them to you, one by one.

Today: Tammie Coe of Tammie Coe Cakes makes eyeball cupcakes.

See also:
-Wait 'Til You See the Final Celebrity Baker Lineup for Pie Social 2012!
-Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row's Pie Social 2011

If you've spent any amount of time in Phoenix -- and your tastes rise above the standard Safeway birthday cake -- chances are good that you've sampled Tammie Coe's baked goods.

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