With less than a month until the biggest food-consumption day of the year, Northwest Arkansans now have an opportunity to add a unique dessert to their Thanksgiving Day menu.
Gooseberry Handmade Pies is now taking advanced requests for their made-to-order pastries, ranging in a variety of flavors and sizes. Whether its a large order for a corporate party or a single-pie for the family, ordering early is a must.
"We actually started taking orders in August for our Thanksgiving pies, so people need to get their orders in to make sure they don't get left out," said Jerry Leding, who co-owns and operates the Bentonville pie shop with his daughter, Sarah. "Everything is made by hand, and we take time to make each pie right, so we are limited on how many we can make."
If not for the array of baking utensils that grace the wall for ambiance, the sweet aroma drifting from the kitchen is sure to let patrons know what's on the menu at Gooseberry.
Made daily by the father and daughter team, each pie is freshly crafted, from its hand-rolled crust to the detailed variation of ingredients. Their makeshift bakery is located at 2210 S. Walton Blvd., inside the Chelsea Crossing plaza, just south of the Bentonville post office
"We have both always had a passion for baking and we both love pies," Jerry said while taking a break from kitchen duties recently, wearing an apron still powdered with flour.
With no specialty pie shops in Northwest Arkansas, the Ledings decided to open Gooseberry in October 2014 to peddle their tasty recipes, many handed down from family traditions. Now, two years later, it continues to grow in popularity for providing deserts for corporate events, wedding parties, baby showers or simple family gatherings.
"Most of the recipes started with a family recipe that had been handed down, but we have altered some of them to suit our taste," Jerry said. "Some of the recipes we made from scratch, but all are put together and baked by the two of us."
Thanksgiving is their busiest time of the year, followed closely by Christmas, but they keep the ovens warm and the rolling pins on the move to produce as many pies as they can.
"We have to increase our supplies of ingredients this time of the year, and we will stay on the go, but we enjoy what we do," Jerry said. "We really do put the time into making sure each pie is made just right."
After retiring as a Walmart vendor, Jerry was looking for a productive way to occupy his time. Sarah was a pharmacy technician in New York, but was looking to move back home. After tossing around some ideas and gathering a corps list of recipes, the Ledings decided the time was right to go into business.
The name Gooseberry was chosen for a few reasons, according to Sarah. First was the fact that gooseberry pies are one of the more traditional pies, dating back to the 1800s.
"It was also in Snow White," Sarah added with a chuckle. "When Snow White is trying to convince the dwarfs to let her stay, she says she will make them Gooseberry Pie, and they decided that was the reason she could stay."
No matter the name, it's the treats that keep customers coming back. Although gooseberry is one of the more popular selections among older customers, the top selling pies are Dutch apple with salted caramel and coconut cream. During the summer months, those are rivaled by the key lime pie, made with actual hand-squeezed key limes.
The traditional fruit pies are steady sellers year-round, including classic apple, cherry, Ozark Mountain grape, strawberry rhubarb and lemon meringue.
For those who want something a little nutty, the menu includes pecan, chocolate pecan, brandy pecan and the unique maple walnut. Other favorites include peanut butter, chocolate meringue, lemon meringue, and now, mincemeat and egg custard.
The menu is altered slightly for seasonal purposes, such as adding pumpkin and sweet potato for the fall. The summer menu includes the key lime.
"We try to be as consistent as possible in what we offer and the way they are prepared," Jerry said. "Most of the pies are made fresh on a daily basis, although some of the pies are actually better the second day, like the Ozark Mountain Grape. It really depends on the variety, but it just allows the seasoning and spices to mix together a little bit better."
There are generally up to 10 large (9 5/8-inch) pies available in the store at all times, as well as a variety of the mini (5-inch) pies. It is suggested that customers allow for a 24-hour advance when ordering. During the holiday season, it is suggested that pies be ordered a few weeks in advance.
The majority of the large pies range from $19-$24. The mini pies are $8 each, or can come in a four-pie sample pack for $28. There is also a 9x13 cobbler-sized pie, that offers twice as much filling but is only 50 percent more in cost than the large size. There are also a smaller, individual-serving pies that are often prepared in bulk for larger parties or gatherings.
No-sugar-added pies (made with Splenda) can be prepared for $1 more.
Unique art and personalized designs can be added to pies at an additional charge, depending on the amount of work.
Sarah handles all of the art design, while Jerry specializes in the lattice and crust design.
"We try to present things that appeal to the customers," Jerry said. "I have really been amazed at some of the things that Sarah has been able to create."
Jerry was the third of eight children in his family and as a youngster was often delegated to the kitchen to assist his mother, Mildred, with cooking and baking duties. The lessons he leaned then are still prevalent today, many of which he has passed on to his daughter.
"It's been pretty exciting getting to work with my dad every day," Sarah said. "We are both so similar in a lot of ways, but we are still different enough that it makes it work. It really is a good chemistry."
"I'm just thankful for the opportunity to be able to spend so much time with him."
Gooseberry is open Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon.
You can contact them by calling (479) 224-1318 or emailing [email protected]. The website is gooseberrypies.com and they can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
NAN Dining Guide Cover on 10/28/2016