One of the more well known eating establishments in Claremont’s Village area, I Like Pie, has gained a reputation for excellent cuisine presented in a fun and intriguing manner ever since it opened. Although an apparently “Mom-and-Pop-ish” establishment, the sophisticated and chic operation requires quite a lot of effort on the part of its staff.

“Most people don’t know that it takes more than 20 people to make I Like Pie operate,” owner Annika Corbin said. “Our baking team alone requires a minimum of four to five people in the kitchen on a slow day and as many as 10 on our busiest day. Our product is unbelievably labor intensive to make so we need a lot of help.”

However, all the hard work is worth it, as the customers’ enjoyment and a job well done are the chief interests of those who make I Like Pie run.

“We take pride in offering our customers the highest quality pies in an environment that makes them feel like they are some place special,” Corbin said.

Corbin’s journey into the culinary world stems, as one might imagine, from a childhood love of baking. Although she initially chose a different path, Corbin was drawn back to this fascinating faction of the culinary world and eventually decided to wholeheartedly pursue her desire.

“There were far fewer choices for someone who wanted to bake for a living then, so I took a different path,” Corbin said. “In order to open a bakery, I had to learn to turn my passion into a profession by taking classes and working very, very hard.”

Aside from running the bakery itself, Corbin enjoys the prospect of creating delicious pies, a dish that she feels is somewhat overlooked in the dessert world. Although generally associated with the dessert milieu, pies are also quite appealing in the savory sense. Meat pies for example are enticing options for anyone in the mood for a salty alternative to the sweet delight most are accustomed to. Corbin herself finds that her affection for both varies, a testament to the appeal of each style.

“It depends! I love them both for different reasons. If it’s early in the morning, I crave a berry pie. Our berry foldover is my favorite. If it’s closer to lunchtime, I’ll choose a savory,” Corbin said. “I would say the two most important things are patience and practice on the part of the baker.”

All of us can agree that creating something from scratch, is a very appealing idea, whether it be the meticulous fashion in which a pie’s filling is crafted, the process by which the flaky and unctuous crust comes to be, or possibly the intriguing prospect of drafting a recipe pertaining to one’s original dish.

“Inspiration for our flavors comes from a lot places, including family and friends, but mainly from my favorite childhood treats and experiences and it’s a lot of fun figuring out how to translate something into it’s “pie-form.” The Banana Split Pie is modeled after my favorite birthday cake, the Strawberry Shortcake is like the Good Humor Ice Cream Bar. Pineapple Upside Down Pie is similar in flavor to the traditional dessert which I love. Chicken Divan was my mother’s best casserole and now it’s a pie. Some recipes are adaptations of something I love and others are all my own. I did a lot of testing and tasting to create the menus that fit our style and personality,” Corbin said.

Regardless of what one thinks when they pass by the now iconic Claremont bakery, it should be noted that behind the closed doors of the kitchen, just across the counter, there are artisans of a most delectable art form. Such artists find great joy in serving their patrons the finest cuisine at a reasonable rate, all in the comfort of a most lively and enjoyable milieu. I Like Pie has garnered a lot of respect since it first hit the Village scene and is sure to improve upon its already impressive reputation.