The Pie Commission, Etobicoke

When you run a blog called The Snack Department, you can bet that a visit to a place like The Pie Commission is pretty high on the priority list...

I ventured out to The Pie Commission's Etobicoke factory outlet on a rainy Saturday afternoon. What the factory outlet lacks in dining space, it makes up for in whimsy with fun old-timey graphics and the promise of "bloody good pies!"

The set-up is pretty cozy too; patrons place their orders at a walk-up window and then wait until a cook opens the side door and hands you a hot pie. I'm not sure if "pie gnomes" are officially a thing, but I think I would like to befriend one.

Being both indecisive and hungry, I purchased a Braised Beef Rib Pie and the commision's feature of the month, a Hog Squash Pie. Each handheld pie is about 5 inches in diameter and comes either in a clever cardboard sleeve (similar to a potholder for one-handed munching) or in a cute sliding cardboard box when you order two pies or one pie + a side (hand cut fries or mixed green salad.)

The braised beef rib was a clear winner for me with melt-in-your-mouth shreds of meat stewed together with mini mushrooms and sweet potatoes in a robust veal stock. Comfort food at its very best!



The Hog Squash Pie wasn't too shabby either with a pleasing combination of braised poblano pork, maple roasted acorn squash, bacon, kale and corn.

The real star of this endeavour though is the all-butter pie crust that's crispy, flaky and forms an altogether too yummy "butter dome" over these Brit/Aussie-style pies. Even though each pie is jam-packed, the pastry holds up surprisingly well, dutifully protecting the tasty filling and never getting soggy in the process.

With a rotating roster of special feature pies (currently a Christmas tourtiere and a five-alarm jerk chicken pie) in addition to their five signature flavours, a visit to The Pie Commission is a must this holiday season! Check out their Facebook and Twitter page for the latest updates including their new gift cards, which would make a perfect stocking stuffer for the pie lover in your life.

Happy snacking!

♥