During this week’s Grocery Greats segment, ForXx is sampling the best cherry pies for the holiday season.
Thanksgiving is upon us and so are the sweet temptations. I scoured the Valley to find the best cherry pies. The key is a light flaky crust. Of course, the cherries have to be the perfect marriage of sweet and tart as well. From your local grocer’s freezer I found: a cherry pie from AJ’s Fine Foods, Sara Lee Cherry Pie from Safeway and a cherry pie from Sam’s Club.
With a reputation for excellence, not too many stores compare to AJ’s Fine Foods. The cherries settled perfectly into a buttery crust. The crust was soft and flaky yet firm enough to hold the weight of a perfect cherry pie. At only $5.99, it was well worth the money.
The Sara Lee Cherry Pie from Safeway had a salty finish to the crust and baked pretty well in the oven but ended up a little dry. The cherries were a little too sweet and tasted more like a syrupy gelatin rather than nectar from a cherry. The cost was fair at $3.99 but not the homemade taste you look for during the holiday season.
The cherry pie from Sam’s Club was comparable to the one at AJ’s, as it tasted like a fresh-baked good. This pie was $2.99–what a bargain. No surprise there from a bulk store, but I’m going to have to go with AJ’s for this Grocery Great. Happy holidays!
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Grocery Greats: Cherry Pies
