Pi Day

I work with scientists so Pi Day is a big deal around here. Friend-Gail even sent me a special pin all the way from the Houston Museum of Natural Science to mark the occasion. I am the Geekiest Geek in the whole department today...and that's quite an accomplishment!

[I recently told 'the kids' that I was spending WAY too much time with them and it was rubbing off.  I saw a recommended book list in a newsletter and the first title was, 'How To Make People LIKE You in Seven Seconds'. Working in a place where they talk science and genetics all day, my brain read it as 'How To Make People Like YOU in Seven Seconds' and my first though was' "Seven seconds!? Geez! Cloning has come a long way since I first started here!"]

Because we love all things mathy/sciencey and have an unhealthy obsession with baked goods, a Pie Baking contest seemed the obvious way to celebrate. The rules were to bring a sweet or savory pie with an International flair and to mark it with the flag of the originating country. I told folks I was bringing Italian...Shrimp ScamPI! (Let it fester, it's one of those ones that will be hilarious later...or not.) 

I have been head over heels for the UK's Banoffee pie since I had a slice in an Irish pub here in Wisconsin a few years ago. It's weird because I don't like bananas all that much, but the combination of bananas and sticky toffee and graham crackers sure does hit the spot. It's a pretty simple recipe.

I made a graham cracker crust in the microwave, but you can buy one or use your favorite recipe. Then you melt 7 TBS of butter (not margarine) and 1/2 c of brown sugar on low until all of the sugar is dissolved and it isn't grainy. Then add one 14 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.*  Once it boils, stir for one minute until it gets a bit darker.  Pour on crust and refrigerate until set. 

Bring back to room temp and cover with 2 sliced bananas.  Cover with whipped cream and decorate with another sliced banana.  You can also decorate with crushed nuts or shaved chocolate but I'm a purist. Ta Da!  We'll see what the taste testers think at the contest. There is a lot of competition.

Sweet Pies (that is my Banoffee on the left.

More sweet...The German Apple on the end is phenomenal!

Savory pies-from Shepherds, Leek , Chive, Italian and German pies to the big kahuna chicken pot pie in the middle. YUM! 

How did YOU celebrate Pi Day?

* A bit of trivia, this is the pie that used to call for you to boil an unopened can of condensed milk for 3 hours until it caramelized...or exploded whichever came first. With my track record for 'interesting incidents' I like the new way MUCH better. I've also read where you can just use a can of Dulce De Leche (usually in the Mexican part of the grocer's) to make it even easier .