Knowing that I would have a quick layover in Philadelphia, my friend Mary Anne sent me a link to “best pies in Philadelphia.” After stashing my bags at the Barnes Foundation and enjoying the amazing collection of French impressionist art, I set out to find the “Best of Philly” pie at the Reading Terminal Market.
The Market, founded in 1893, is one of the oldest continuously operating farmer’s markets in the US and is a foodie paradise. On this Saturday it was standing room only. I inched forward up and down each aisle, searching for Beiler’s Bakery, the location of the “Best of Philly Pie.” I needed will power not to stop at fruit stands, eat a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, or succumb to any number of pastries. 
Beiler’s Bakeries is locally owned and run by a Pennsylvania Dutch family from Lancaster, PA. They are known for their donuts and pies that use all natural ingredients. I bellied up to the counter where customers were elbow-to-elbow and, using my boarding-house reach, grabbed a slice of the famous shoofly pie. I took it outside and sat on the steps of the Philadelphia City Hall to enjoy the pie without using my elbows! 
People: Families who pass their pie-baking expertise from generation to generation so we can enjoy time-tested pie recipes.
Places: Reading Terminal Market, 51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 http://www.readingterminalmarket.org
Pies: Chocolate Shoofly Pie. Shoofly pie started as a molasses crumb cake to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1876. Later, the cake 
was made in a crust to make eating the cake easier without using utensils. The name comes from Shoofly Molasses, the key ingredient in the traditional pie. Chocolate Shoofly pie is a variation that uses chocolate in the filling, rather than the molasses. Shoofly pies can have a wet or dry bottom, depending on how long the filling is baked to set. The pie is topped with crumbs typically made with flour and sugar/brown sugar, shortening and seasonings such as cinnamon and ginger. My pie had a wet bottom and a very crumbly crust!
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1⅓ c boiling water
- 1½ c chocolate syrup
- ½ c sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1⅓ c flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ⅓ c butter or margarine
- Dissolve ¼ teaspoon baking soda in boiling water. Stir in chocolate syrup. Set aside. Combine flour, sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and salt. Cut in butter or margarine with pastry blender to form coarse crumbs.
- Set aside 1 cup each of chocolate syrup mixture and crumbs.
- Gently combine remaining chocolate mixture and crumbs, stirring just until crumbs are moistened (mixture will be lumpy).
- Pour reserved cup of chocolate mixture into unbaked pastry shell and spread chocolate-crumb mixture evenly over liquid in shell. Top with remaining cup crumbs.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes or until set.
