Pleasantville held its annual apple pie contest in Memorial Plaza Oct. 20.
Among the bustle of Pleasantville Farmers Market vendors, visitors, and customers, the sweet smell of pie arose.
At approximately 9:50 a.m., the judges had already lined up and prepared to evaluate their designated table for the best pie.
“I’m very excited,” said one judge, News 12 anchor Lisa Salvatorini. “I didn’t eat breakfast!”
Another judge was Galit Sperling, Director of Education at ARC stages and Little Village Playhouse. He explained the several criteria for a winning pie.
“There’s the appearance—does it look appetizing, the baking—the quality of the crust and the apples and the overall texture, and then the taste, of course,” he said.
The apple pie contest has been a Pleasantville Farmers Market tradition for the last nine years, according to Peter Rogovin. Rogovin is president of Foodchester, the non-profit that is contracted to run the market.
Entries in the Pleasantville Apple Pie Contest, Oct. 20, 2018. After the pies are judged, slices of them are sold for two dollars each.(Pleasantville Press/ Sabrina Sanchez)
The annual event is sponsored by Phelps Hospital.
Winners receive goodie bags containing items donated by vendors. Afterward, the pies are cut up and sold for two dollars a slice. Proceeds support the Farmer’s Market Scholarship Fund, which awards a scholarship to a graduating Pleasantville High School student.
Pies were judged in the categories traditional two crust pie, one crust crumb or tart, under-18 chef for any type of pie, and finally, as Rogovin described it, “a 4th ‘unofficial’ category for vendors, interns and families of market board members who are not allowed to enter the main competition because of their (or their family’s) involvement in Market operations.”
Judges including Mayor Peter Scherer (l) gather to evaluate the pies entered into the tart or crumb category, Oct. 20, 2018. Judges use a rubric to determine the winners.(Pleasantville Press/ Sabrina Sanchez)
One contestant, Kaitlyn Talt, said she came from Larchmont to enter.
“My sister had brought up another pie competition that was in New Jersey, but we were unable to make it that weekend,” she said. “So I tried to find one near us and then I found this one and then I applied and submitted.”
Talt submitted a two-crust apple pie into the competition.
“I just did it for fun. There seems to be some tough competition, but I’m hoping for the best,” she said.
After the judging, the pies were sliced and sorted for sale.
“I’ve done these many years running and every year I’m impressed by the effort these folks make and these beautiful pies and every year it’s hard to say which one is better than the other,” said Mayor Peter Scherer, who judged in the one-crust category.
Judges pose after submitting their choices for the winning pie, Oct. 20, 2018. Proceeds from the event fund a scholarship for a Pleasantville High School student. (Pleasantville Press/ Sabrina Sanchez)
“They’re all very delicious,” said Chef Alex Gomez from PubStreet, who was also judging. “They all have different personalities and I guess it reflects the different families that come to the farmer’s market and I’m very impressed by how much effort they put into it.”
Contest winners were announced in this video:
https://youtu.be/xrW04cCDHiM
(11/12/18: this article was edited to clarify Rogovin’s role with the Pleasantville Farmers Market.)