Monday, December 25, 2023

Home Grown


I was given a heads up that something really good was coming to town. No, not Santa. 

I had been told by two different people that I would be happy to know that an excellent pie shop called Noble Pies would be opening a store in Beacon. So I watched and waited. Yes, it was Advent.  A time for watchful waiting. 

And then I saw the "Open" sign in the window where the brown paper had been removed at 137 Main Street. I stopped with the ease of parking spots in front of the storefront one night after work around 7:15pm; I was totally smitten! Not just with the Chicken Pot Pie slice, which I purchased for supper and the Blueberry Scones for breakfast, but with the ambience and the backstory and the gift of speaking to Zachary, the owners' son, who was there for the afternoon shift until closing, which was later than usual because of me being the very chatty and last customer. He was so patient and gracious as I told my tale of The Pie Lady from Nyack, whom his family knew from the farmer's market trade. He convinced me that I'd be in for a nice surprise since their pies were of the same caliber and equivalent in the eyes of the buyers for the homemade pie market.


I told Zachary I haven't blogged about a new opening in a while. There have been so many comings and goings in Beacon along Main Street in the past five years. Some of them came just because Beacon became so trendy. And some of them left because tthey were priced out. But I certainly hope that Noble Pies is here to stay. It has the feel of the Beacon I moved to over 12 years ago when I wanted to blog about the hometown feeling and a sense of community in town. 

Zachary explained that his family business had been steadily expanding from its origins based in Warwick and that their success has not deterred the bakery from offering its best of fresh ingredients. The handmade pies and baked goods are just like those his mother and father made together through the years until it got beyond the scope of four hands alone. 


While I have my eyes on the savory pies for my after work supper -- Vegetable Pot Pie, Chicken Curry, Vegetable Curry, and Sausage/Sallion/Onion/Cheese Quiche, in addition to the Chicken Pot Pie that I'd give 5-stars -- I also saw the sweet slices of Mixed Berry, Will You Marry Me Cherry Pie, and Cream pies, all of which can be special ordered, which will be hard to resist. 

I don't have to re-tell the story of how Noble Pies got started and how it is continuing its tradition because that is all on their website. But I will tell you that this is a keeper for Main Street in Beacon. We should be ecstatic that it chose to expand its growing market beyond Warwick, Rye, and Tarrytown and arrive in time for a sense of homegrown appeal and a throwback to the days when you felt like you were entering someone's kitchen for a meal and good conversation. Welcome to Beacon, Noble Pies!!


Food for Thought:  A walk down Main Street should feel like we are an integral part of the Hudson Valley with all its bounty and history. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the US, the Semiquincentennial, in 2026, we will need lots of Apple Pie to celebrate. May Noble Pie be ready for the celebration! And may we all be reminded that tradition can prevail over trendiness.