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Decadence, thy name is Pecan Pie Cake.
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Pecan Pie Cake...like you needed to see it close up.
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Carolyn Downs refers to the Hello Dolly as "a kitchen sink pie." It includes a graham cracker crust, white and dark chocolate chunks, pecans, coconut, toffee brittle, M&M's, and "pretzels, if I haven't eaten them."
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"Slab pie" is pie cooked on an aluminum sheet pan.
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Top to bottom: a pan of bread pudding, a Hello Dolly and an Apple Bacon Cheddar Pie, pop tarts, and pieces of slab pie.
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Carolyn Downs' brioche bread pudding has taken on legendary status at Cyrano's Cafe, the restaurant she co-owns in Webster Groves: at Sugarfire Pie she created Pumpkin Bread Pudding (this version topped with bacon and pralines).
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Frozen custard is on the menu at Sugarfire Pie as well. (Inside scoop: Not all frozen custard machines consistently run cold enough to crank out a quality (low-overrun/high-butterfat) product. This one, made by The Taylor Company, does.)
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Custard toppings, traditional and otherwise. Clockwise from top left: candied pecans, pieces of peppermint patty, strawberries, bacon, blueberries, blackberries, sugar cookie crumbles, cake crumbles.
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When asked where Johnson acquired Sugarfire's period memorabilia, the chef replied, "I dunno...all over and everywhere."
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Ronnie's Ice Cream quietly supplies premium ice cream and sorbet to many of the better local restaurants and country clubs. Add Sugarfire Pie to the esteemed list: three flavors--vanilla, salted caramel, and cinnamo--are available here, by the scoop or by the quart.
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The "stack pie" -- several pies stacked atop of one another and then sliced. Downs only half-joked that "it's now possible to have all your favorite Thanksgiving pies in one slice." (We suggested an alternate name: the "are-you-kidding-me?" pie.)
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Planks of barnwood, a cut glass panel, and crown moulding all work together to create one of the many whimsical architectural details.
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A pie mosaic? Sure, why not?
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Attention to detail at its best: instead of simply painting the logo on a focal wall, co-designer Mark Pitliangas of Antique Architectural Decor engraved the logo before painting, adding depth and dimension.
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Twin Peaks, a TV serial drama that aired in 1990-1991, made frequent references to cherry pie and coffee. Carolyn Downs was a fan of the show. The rest room walls, painted cherry red, contain famous "pie" quotes from the popular series.
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The visage of Laura Palmer, whose murder spawned the Twin Peaks TV serial, hangs prominently in the restroom.
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Our favorite detail: an early color television set--complete with color static.
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During the daylight hours, look for this sign.
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And at night, look for this.
The long-awaited and much-anticipated Sugarfire Pie, a collaboration between chef Mike Johnson and pastry chef Carolyn Downs, opened today at 9200 Olive Blvd in Olivette.
We were there when the doors opened at 11 am. Accompanied by the timeless Ventures' classic "Walk, Don't Run" (courtesy of a vinyl LP playing on a 50s-era "High-Fidelity Stereophonic Record Player"), we umm'd and we ahh'd; we sniffed and we snapped. Our delectable discoveries are depicted above.
Sugarfire Pie
9200 Olive, Suite 108
314-736-6300
Open 11 - 8 daily
