Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery in historic Kimmswick

We went the the Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery in historic Kimmswick for a candy making field trip and tour with one of our homeschool groups. The candy making was fun. The kids all made chocolate hamburgers, chocolate dipped marshmallows with sprinkles, chocolate pretzels, and chocolate playdoh.

I got the pleasure of meeting the owner, Mary, who I have admired for a while now. I now adore her as well. She is a kind, well spoken, friendly, all around good person! After the candy making we met up with her and she talked about the fantastic story of her life, the history of the area, her faith, her bakery and more. Charlotte and I LOVED it! The really little kids were bored (but quiet) for the talking part but we were enthralled! When I wanted to talk pie crusts with her she spoke of her mother passing away last December and her mothers special dough she hasn't been able to use in her mother's freezer. I found out the rolling pin and measuring spoon set on the wall in The Sweet Shop were her mothers too. I LOVE this kind of stuff. If you've never been it's a real treat. If you love family history, anything old fashioned, candy making, supporting a self made woman, home cooking and most importantly pie you simply must check it out.

The Sweet Shop (ice cream parlor and candy shop) is decorated beautifully with old frames and black and white family photos. (All Mary's family.) The Sweet Shop offers candy classes for kids as well as birthday parties where you can make confectioneries. Like all gift shops it is pricey but you'll find some one of a kind things and with lots of darling items. Adults and kids alike can get lost in browsing through the bright colors of tea sets, aprons, trinkets, stuffed animals and toys.The blue owl also sells more than just a few of their own cookbooks; a nice treat from this home cooking haven. We didn't eat there this time but have before. The food is good and the staff is friendly. Since I cook from scratch and we tend to have lots of time honored classics for dinner at our house it's not a treat for us to go somewhere for home cooking. (Although I do enjoy other people's cooking, I'm not saying mine is better! ;) 

One of the most famous pies at The Blue Owl is the Caramel Pecan Levee High Apple Pie™ , it's been featured on a few shows on the Food Network (including Paula Deen!). With pride Mary told us that this pie is on this years list of Oprah's favorite things! Their already famous pies are in even bigger demand now and their phone is ringing off the hook. One person ordered 40 Caramel Pecan Levee High Apple Pies™ as gifts that will be shipped.



The Blue Owls Levee High Pie!

I've had a slice of that pie before, it IS divine. For fun made my own copycat version the Thanksgiving of 2009. When I get around to digging up the digital picture file I'll post a picture. It was a lot of fun. Charlotte helped me make it. Since The Blue Owl's version has 18 apples in it we put 20 in ours - just to be different! As you can tell I've been a fan of The Blue Owl for a long time. Now that I know more back story and have met the amazing woman who started it all by baking 30,000 Christmas cookies in her own kitchen oven just to make ends meet, I'm hooked for life.

I was swooning over the idea of a pie of the month club last week. I looked online and found them online offered by various places. Today I say The Blue Owl has a pie of the month club! Oh yum-oh yumm-oh yum-o. I love pie.