On a recent trip to St. Louis, Pie Pal Jan and I had an opportunity to have lunch at The Blue Owl, a well-known restaurant in Kimmswick, Missouri a small town just south of St. Louis on the Mississippi. The town is a day trip destination point. It is the headquarters of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company and home to the 95 year old Anheuser Estate, which is now open to the public. The town also has many opportunities for shopping! The town is most known, however, for The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery with its famous Levee High Apple Pie, which was the reason for our visit to this historic town.
After a quick walk around the town, we had lunch. The quiche was a preview of the dessert pie to come. We ordered the Levee High Apple Pie with caramel pecan topping which symbolizes the rocks and murky water of the overflowing Mississippi river. 
We could not imagine how the pie could be cut into serving size pieces, but we soon found out. On the plate, the apples, stacked inside the crust, 
resemble the levee. After lunch we drove to the levee and saw firsthand how easily the river could come out of its banks and cause flooding.
People: Mary Hostetter
is the owner, hostess, and baker at The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery. Mary purchased the restaurant in 1985 after owning a business making cookies, cakes, and pies in her home. Mary has received national recognition for her pies such as the Women of Achievement award and Restaurateur of the Year. The Levee High Apple Pie has been featured on the Food Network’s “Road Tasted”, the Travel Channel’s “Pie Paradise”, and was designated ad one of Oprah’s “Top Favorite Things for the Holidays” in 2011. Mary welcomes each guest as they enter the restaurant. She exudes the joy of being a successful woman entrepreneur.
Places: The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery, Kimmswick, MO. http://theblueowl.com/ The restaurant was formerly a tea room and rooms have been added on to accommodate a growing number of guests. The restaurant now serves more than 300 customers a day.
Pies: Mile High Levee Pie was created to honor the “Great Flood of 1993.” The Mississippi River was cresting, and citizens and the National Guard frantically placed sandbags on the levee. Kimmswick was ordered to be evacuated. Fortunately, the town was spared extensive damage, and to celebrate, Mary developed The Blue Owl’s signature pie. Pies are available for shipping at foodydirect.com
- 2 deep-dish unbaked pie crusts
- Filling
- 12 cups (14-16 apples) of peeled and thinly sliced Granny Smith apples
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- 2tsp cinnamon
- Dash of salt
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- Topping
- 1 ½ cups melted caramels (21 oz).
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 Tbsp evaporated milk
- For the Filling
- Combine apples, sugar, flour cinnamon, and salt. Mound filling by hand or use a small, deep mixing bowl for a mold. Invert the filling into the bottom crust and dot with butter. Cover mounded filling with top crust. Moisten, seal and flute edges tightly. Brush top crust with a small amount of milk and sugar mixed together. Prick crust to allow steam to vent. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour or until the crust is golden brown.
- For the topping
- Melt caramels in the microwave. Add evaporated milk and stir until smooth. Add chopped pecans and stir. Spread over pie starting at the base and working up.
Does the apple pie without the caramel have any dairy in it at all?
The pie turns out better if you eliminate the 15 minute 450 degree baking part. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes and your apples will hold up better.