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NATIONAL PIE CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS

American Pie Council Names North America's Top Bakers in Prestigious 15th Annual APC/Crisco National Pie Championships

APC Names Best of Show in Amateur, Professional and Junior Chef Divisions

ORLANDO (May 6, 2009) - The American Pie Council is proud to announce the Best of Show winners from the 15th Annual APC/Crisco National Pie Championships held April 24-26, 2009 in conjunction with the APC Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco.
(click winning pies below for recipes)

At the annual event, which took place at the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center in Celebration, Fla., bakers of all skill levels, all ages, and all degrees of training, from all over the United States and Canada, participated in a bake-off to determine North America's best Professional, Amateur and budding Junior Chefs. Overall Professional and Amateur winners took home the Best of Show titles as well as $5,000, a new Sears Kenmore range and a Crisco gift basket, while the top winner in the Junior Chef division received a $1,000 gift certificate to the Chef Depot, a source for all professional chef tools, as well as a Crisco gift basket.  First place ribbons and bragging rights were also awarded to Commercial Division winners.

Best of Show honors in the Professional division went to Linda Hundt, owner of the Sweetie-licious Pie Pantry in DeWitt, Michigan and a third-year entrant who won the judge's hearts with "Tom's Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry Pie." Meanwhile, the Best of Show winner for the Amateur division was Phyllis Szymanek from Toledo, Ohio who swept her division with her "Category Five Peanut Butter Pie" 

Three Junior Chefs came away with awards: Alexis Ramirez from Polk City, Fla. won the award for Most Creative with her Cherry Down Under Pie, Christiana Hurt of Longwood, Fla. won Most Flavorful with her Banana Cream Pie and Carmela Crutcher of Orlando took home the Best of Show in the Junior Chef division as well as a Best Appearance award for her Tropical Italian Pie.
A complete list of winners is available at www.piecouncil.org 

This year, 138 bakers entered close to 900 pies in the competition with 465 commercial, 130 professional and 266 amateur pies.  The event drew more than 170 judges, including Kim Montello, Johnson and Wales University, Jim Whaples, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and professional chefs such as Robert Paulk, Certified Master Baker and David Ramirez, Executive Pastry Chef at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando and 2009 captain of Team USA in the Coupe du Monde (World Pastry Cup), as well as many food writers and editors.  Judges also included everyday pie lovers who were selected through an application process.  Talented pie makers came from 28 states, from as far away as Washington, California and parts of Canada.
(Also see Commercial Bakery Winners)

Amateurs were judged in 15 categories: Apple, Citrus, Crisco Classic Cherry, Crisco Classic Chocolate, Cream, Cream Cheese, Custard, Fruit/Berry, Nut, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, Open, Raisin, sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board, Splenda and Sweet Potato. First place winners in each category received $200 cash and a Crisco gift basket, second place winners received $150 cash and third place winners took home $100 cash. 

Professional bakers entered pies in eight categories: Apple, Citrus, Crisco Classic Chocolate, Crisco Classic Cherry, Fruit/Berry, Cream, Nut and Open. First place winners in each category received $200 cash and a Crisco gift basket.

Junior Chefs who are in high school and are between the ages 14 to 17 tested their pie-making skills with pie entries in Apple, Cream, Fruit/Berry or Open categories. Three first place winners received $200 Chef Depot gift certificates and Crisco gift baskets.

Crisco^® is a registered trademark of The J. M. Smucker Company.  For more information, visit www.crisco.com 

The American Pie Council offers individual membership for amateurs as well as professionals and commercial bakers.  Pie lovers receive multiple benefits including the "Pie Times" e-newsletter, membership directory and member-only online "pie talk" access for idea exchange, pie recipes, coupons and discounted entry into the annual APC/Crisco National Pie Championships. 

The American Pie Council is the only organization committed to maintaining America's pie heritage, passing on the tradition of pie-making and promoting America's love affair with pie.  For more details, to become a member of the APC or to register for the National Pie Championships, visit www.piecouncil.org