Pie for Breakfast: Vinegar Pie at Pie for Breakfast, Pittsburgh, PA

Recently I found myself with a day to spend in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. As I do when I am sightseeing, I searched for places to eat pies, and what could be a better way to start the day than to have pie for breakfast at a restaurant of the same name. Oakland is perched on one of the many hills overlooking the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, and is home to the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. This area also encompasses the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie Library, and Carnegie-Mellon University.

People: There are two famous Andy’s from Pittsburgh who surely ate pies for breakfast: Andy Warhol (1928-1987) and Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). I was able to obtain a “twofer” in this painting by Andy Warhol of Andy Carnegie which was on display at the Carnegie Museum of Art’s International Biennial. Andy Warhol is known for his work as a “pop” artist; the largest collection of his work is housed in the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. Andrew Carnegie, an inventor, activist, and philanthropist is best known for establishing more than 2,500 public libraries around the United States. I enjoyed the tour of the flagship library in Pittsburgh with its open stacks, small study rooms, and tall ceilings. Of note, there is an extensive collection of sheet music and patrons can check out musical instruments to use for several months in their home.

Places: Pie for Breakfast. This popular neighborhood restaurant serves breakfast and lunch with a menu that is intended to honor the history of Pittsburgh and settlers in the area. The name of the restaurant was inspired by a book, Pie for Breakfast that the owner of the restaurant read as a small boy. For my breakfast I ordered eggs with Kielbasa sausage, a nod to the Polish people who emigrated from Eastern Europe to work in Carnegie’s steel mills. I also ordered the salt bread toast which the restaurant makes to honor of the early pioneers in western Pennsylvania who, because they did not have access to yeast, made the bread using bacteria (clostridium) in the air that caused the bread to rise. Coffee and a slice of vinegar pie completed the meal. http://www.pieforbreakfastpittsburgh.com/

Pies: Vinegar Pie is attributed to the early Amish settlers in Pennsylvania who made this pie from ingredients that were easily available when fresh fruit was hard to find. This pie has been compared to a lemon chess pie, and to me tasted a bit like a Hoosier cream pie because of the creamy filling. The vinegar, blended with lots of sugar, gave the pie a lemony taste. The chef makes an all lard crust which was rich and flaky.