Nov
25
An idea into a Machine
Way back in 2009, I posted something that almost didn’t make it to any of your RSS feeds and I’m 100% sure that it’s my most successful post thus far. I don’t judge success by my personal standards. Who cares what you, the creator, thinks. Self satisfaction is pretty dumb, so I just judge by my readers reactions, I find them quite accurate and at many times humbling. They say hindsight is 20/20 and this kind of post proves it. I finished this pie pops post but days before posting it I kept saying to myself, don’t post it, don’t post it, this is like…. really cheesy…. and not in a good way……But the post itself took me some time (not only to think of the idea) but to also create all the labels and drill holes into the plexi-glass stand. I thought better to just publish it than to waste those two days I spent on it. My idea of course was to just break down the pie and make it more mobile, it’s a smaller pie that you can eat it one bite.
The day after I was shocked by reader reactions. I couldn’t really figure out why people liked it, but my best guess is that its just a slight twist on a very traditional and classic dish, also the idea was do-able for most people, and lastly everyone has come in contact with a pie. Fast forward to 2011 you can again guess how floored I was to walk into a store and see a Pie Pop machine.
I thought the machine was very cute and perfect for the holidays, though I had nothing to do with creating this machine it’s still kind of surprising to see something you created turned into a machine. But, I’m not really sure why you would need a machine to replicate the pie pop recipe. One search on google images tells me that the idea can be easily executed without the machine. I consider myself pretty lazy, I mean, I even used store bought pie dough for the original pie pops. Since the machine cooks on both sides though, I guess it WILL ensure evenly brown pie crust, but I cannot know for sure unless I try it out. I did ask some friends and my mom (my most important source for honest advice) if the idea is in fact easy to achieve..she affirmatively says ‘No’, that even the people you tried those pops are not your average people and that the machine is in fact needed for people who aren’t really obsessed with cooking, that the people who tried it without the machine have very advanced cooking skills..I don’t know if I agree with her. I thought it was pretty easy. What do you guys think? Do you think you would really need the machine to make pie pops? My thought is that the machine is really PERFECT for moms and their kids, something to do over the holidays. I have to mention that wow, the price is really great, especially in these times..$24.99? So affordable. You can buy it here.
I made the pops (sans machine) for a neighborhood party in September. I found them surprisingly easy to make, especially since I very rarely bake anything. People went mad for them, and I made sure to give you plenty of credit. I don`t think the machine is needed, but it is a really cute idea, especially for kids!
I’d like a machine like that.
I would be hesitant to cook pie pop myself& Would be afraid that the sticks would burn or color or fall out of the pies… or pies would fall of the stick and on the floor…because it is such a good choice for an “eat while standing at a gallery opening” finger food…
Plus i love gadgets in the kitchen ))
PS
Bravo on the idea!!!
Very proud of you
The machine is useful if I want to involve my children in the process. But honestly I tried your original method and really enjoyed it. That may just be something I do for me in my spare time, but I thought the results were great.
If you can make a perigee you can make a pie pop.
Argh. Auto correct. I meant perogie. If you can make a perogie you can make a pie pop.
*pierogi
ha ha… spelling was never my strong suit. Thanks!
Doing it myself = seems intimidating, and therefore would probably never try
Machine = seems much easier and fail proof, therefore, something I could actually see myself doing.
I think those machines are such a waste of materials and energy. It was super easy to make them, and it’s not like the baking was the tricky part.
I’ve made pie pops 3 times now, most recently this week for Thanksgiving. I’d say it’s easy in the sense that it’s really obvious what you should do and I’ve never had a complete disaster in making the recipe, but difficult in that it’s tedious, time-consuming, and hard to get just right. The first two times I had too much crust and not enough filling, so the pops were a bit dry. This time I used a larger cookie cutter which allowed me to get more filling in there and they were just right.
I enjoy cooking but I really haven’t been doing it for that long so I’m far from being an expert.
Your name in lights:
http://www.bookofjoe.com/2011/11/luxirarecom-killer-clothers-and-fine-cuisine.html
How often would anyone be making pie pops that would necessitate having the appliance taking up space in their kitchen cabinets? I vote no pie machine.
I’m still quite impressed with what a vanguard you have turned out to be. There is one popular blog dedicated to making cool jello shots that comes to mind as well, links to it have turned up in a few respectable places.
I am a semi-professional home baker and am still incredibly intimidated by pie, let alone pie pops. That being said, I would never use a machine like that. Look how much better yours look than the ones pictured on that box.
My friend and i tried to make pie pops after we saw them on your site- the sticks didn’t go very well so we remarketed them as pie puffs. Just as delicious but not as cute.
Anyway, I came across this.. reminded me of some of your ideas sans the clever branding
http://www.dezeen.com/2011/11/26/sweet-play-by-elsa-lambinet/
I don’t think this machine would be very helpful. I mean, it looks like it just bakes the pie pops more evenly than an oven would and it wouldn’t really be saving you any time.
Besides, I prefer uneven pie crust; it makes it look rustic
I love spending time in the kitchen but would never consider myself a cook/chef/baker, and I still found the pie pops super easy! Time consuming, yes, but a really fun project that yields fantastic results. How flattering that there’s a machine out there that came from your idea, though!
It pisses me off that you don’t get a cut of the profits (although that would look kind of bad too). The downside of freely sharing your ideas online is that someone can take the idea and profit from it. It’s interesting how your pie pop went to Bakerella, then Blake Lively. You are a martyr.
Ultimately, I see pie pops as a luxury, or a good general gift. I hate that this company is going to make more dough, now that you gave them a plug. Hopefully you’ll get your credit, time to shine, etc. without “selling out”.
I love this post … I’d been following you for a while when you pie-popped. Back then your posts were like enigmatic gold dust. I remember showing a gazillion people I thought it was such a genius idea.
I roared when I saw one of these machines here in the UK – I meant to write a post about it … but I got diverted.
If any machine actually makes people want to make something with it, then it is a wanted machine. Doesn’t mean I’d necessarily want it …
Luxirare is about style and a unique integrity of brand. The idea was quite simple, the execution was what made everyone else’s lightbulbs go pinging …
Pop pies.
What a great idea.
What a great blog entry.
The name is also a wonderful association the cartoon figure “Pop Eye the Sailor Man.”
What can be better than cartoons and pie
Keep imagining.
Human Rights Activist at
Bexley Public Radio Foundation
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always helpful to read content from other writers and practice something from other websites.