CityView Magazine

24 | March/April 2017 Edible art e Fayetteville Pie Company celebrated its one-year anniversary in January, but it didn't take them long to develop a devoted following. You may have seen their stunning pie photography on their Instagram or Tumblr account, and with over 8,000 followers on Facebook, Leslie tells it like it is: "It's all about word of mouth these days. I've even started tweeting!" "We eat with our eyes first," she explained, and so it's no wonder that the pictures of their savory General Oh Tso Good Pie, Tacolicious (Nacho Average Pie), Artisan Cheese & Broccoli or the sweet Graham Cracker Smacker, Cold Brew Tiramisu or Key Lime-A-Rita will have your stomach grumbling. "We want our pies to look just as beautiful in real life," and Leslie says the ideas of the "edible art" and the one- of-a-kind flavors are a product of the very collaborative teamwork behind the counter. Each member of the all- female staff ("Having an all female staff was not intentional. We prayed for the right people to come," Leslie shared) contributes her diverse heritage, travels and creativity to the cook-in-the-kitchen brainstorming sessions. Chef Martha "MK" Lee, who moved to Fayetteville from New York City and who has been with the Pie Company since the beginning, says, "We all come from different backgrounds and walks of life," and MK says she loves the opportunity to create. "e sky is really the limit." Some pies will begin with a prompt. Leslie says, "Sometimes I have a specific pie I want to add to the menu so I give it to them as a challenge. We like to take a classic and add a twist to elevate it." A classic blueberry pie will become a blueberry lavender pie—an updated rendition people line up to try. e Fayetteville Pie Company tries to have a pie for every customer who stops by. ey frequently have a vegetarian option on the menu and have started offering gluten-less pies on occasion. A recent limited-edition Butterbeer Pie, inspired by Harry Potter, sold out. People lined up were outside posting on the restaurant's Facebook page, "Make more pies, please!" The Fayetteville Pie Company celebrated its one-year anniversary in January, but it didn't take them long to develop a devoted following. Blueberry Vanilla Swirl Pie

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