Hoosier Mama Pie Company

With Mother's Day in full effect, I couldn't help but write up a quick post about Hoosier Mama Pie Company.  Not only because this place has "Mama" in the name, but also because these are some of the best darn pies I've ever eaten.  Although Steph C. and I only got to delve into one savory slice and one sweet slice, I have no doubt in my mind that the rest of their selection is just as exceptional.

The space is small.  Extremely small.  But there is still enough space to seat two parties of two, and one party of four.  We arrived by bus around mid-morning and the place was less than bustling.  But with the amount of activity going on behind the cashier, I can only assume that most of their business consists of take-out.  Or maybe it's because people probably go in, order a pie, eat the pie in thirty seconds, and go on their merry ways.

The minimal decorations are just darn adorbs.  And they have cute prices to match.  A bottomless cup of tasty coffee and a generous slice of pie costs a mere five dollars.  If I lived anywhere near this place, this would dominate my morning routine.

Both pies were simply outrageous.  The first slice we got, by recommendation of our friends Janice and Frances, was from their Chicken Pot Pie.  The crust was insane.  I could have just eaten the crust by itself and called it a day.  Buttery, crispy, and flaky, the crust made for the perfect accompaniment to the pie's innards.

Tender chunks of juicy chicken, beautiful bits of peas and carrots, and a thick, comforting gravy made each bite feel like a good ol' American hug.  The hints of sage and black pepper almost made my soul cry with happiness.  The best part was that nothing was overcooked or soggy.  It was as if this slice was specially made that day, that minute, that second.  For us.  I didn't want this slice to end, but it did.  Thankfully, we had a slice of dessert pie to slow down the regret of eating our first slice so quickly.

The Apple Pear Cranberry Pie was magical.  Neither the buttery crust or the addictive crumble on top were too sweet.  The pie let the natural flavors and sweetness of the fruits sing.  My teeth sank into each gooey gem of fruit with ease.  Like the Chicken Pot Pie, nothing was overcooked.  The apple and pear still had a slight bite and were texturally enhanced by the crumble.  I love a solid apple pie, but I'd take this combination of sweet and seasonal pears and apples and tart cranberries over any apple pie I've had, any day.  I want to say that we took a little bit longer to eat this slice in an effort to enjoy each bite, but I'm guessing we probably didn't.

If you haven't gotten your mom a Mother's Day present just yet, and if you live in Chicago, you have about half an hour to get over there today and make your mom's day.  If you don't have time to hit this up today, or if you don't foresee getting your mom a present in time for the occasion (no judgement! well, maybe a little bit), do yourself a favor and surprise mom on Tuesday (they're closed Mondays) with a belated, delicious pie.

Also, if you live in Chicago, you should probably be going to this place at least once a week.  I know I would.  If you don't live in Chicago, when you visit, do not miss this place.

Next time I go, I kid you not, I am going to get one of everything and spend my entire morning savoring each and every bite.  Or something close to that, at least.

Hoosier Mama Pie Company
1618 1/2 Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 243-4846
http://www.hoosiermamapie.com/

GET: Chicken Pot Pie; Apple Pear Cranberry Pie; Everything.