FOOD

Enjoy a slice of pie in Morris on Pi Day

Eva Abreu

@EvaAbreuNJ

Today, Monday, March 14, marks the 28th annual Pi Day celebration in honor of the mathematical constant 3.141592653, which is the ratio used to compute the circumference, area and volume of circles.

The first Pi Day (3/14) was first celebrated in 1988 with Pi recitations, people eating pie and walking around in circles at San Francisco’s Exploratorium science museum. The event was organized by physicist Larry Shaw and has since spread to an international, math-focused celebration.

Twenty one years later, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Resolution 224 in 2009 designating the date as National Pi Day. The resolution “encourages schools and educators to observe the day with appropriate activities that teach students about Pi and engage them about the study of mathematics.”

WATCH VIDEO: Making pies on Pi Day 2014 http://dailyre.co/1b9o1yy

Here are a few places to get your fill of pie on Pi Day in Morris County.

Pi Day celebration at Mendham library

The Mendham Borough Library will host a Pi Day celebration, 6 p.m., today, Monday, March 14 (3.14), at 10 Hilltop Rd.

Activities will include a pie taste test, a Pi reciting contest and “Pie a Staff Member.” All ages are welcome.

To register or for more information, call the library at 973-543-4152 or visit www.mendhamboroughlibrary.org.

A selection of pies offered at Mara’s Cafe & Bakery include Chocolate Creme (left), Chocolate Chip Cookie and Apple Crumb.

Mara’s Cafe & Bakery is offering a special Pi Day discount of $3.14 off any whole pie at its Morristown bakery and Denville and Fanwood cafes on Monday.

Ian Magley, co-owner of the family-run business with his parents Mara and Glenn, said each location will carry their nine signature 10-inch pies including Apple, Cherry, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Key Lime, Peach, and Strawberry Rhubarb ($16.99); and Blueberry, Pecan and Three Nut Cranberry ($17.99).

At Mara’s two cafe locations, individual slices of pie, which normally sell for $4.49-4.99 per slice, will be priced at $3.14 for the day.

Magley said they have also been filling orders for local schools that have purchased pies for Pi Day educational events.

Mara’s Bakery is located at 281 Speedwell Ave., Morristown, tel. 973-682-9200; Mara’s Cafe in Denville is located at 25 East Main St., tel. 973-625-0901; Mara’s Cafe in Fanwood in located at 250 South Ave., tel. 908-322-4422. Call for hours and special orders or visit www.marascafe.com for more information.

SEE ALSO: 1 Thing We Love About Morris County: Hand Pie http://dailyre.co/1UyPzga

Minuteman Restaurant & Pie Shoppe in Morristown carries a variety of fruit pies.

Minuteman Restaurant & Pie Shoppe in Morristown has a long history of offering pies in Morris County.

“Back in the mid-1970s, it was felt that if the Minuteman served a great tasting homemade apple pie, people would come from miles around just to enjoy it,” said Marti Lifschin, co-owner of the business with her husband Scott. “After several years and many misses, our recipe was perfected.”

Blueberry, cherry, and pecan were added to the pie menu in 1979. “In 1981, we began to sell pies for take-home and holidays,” said Lifschin, who added that this year, they sold over 600 pies during the week of Thanksgiving.

After introducing apple crumb and strawberry rhubarb in the 1980s, “we developed our two signature pies - the Harvest, which is a cranberry-apple pie with a pecan crumb top, and our apple-blueberry crumb pie,” said Lifschin.

The shop also offers cream pies, including chocolate cream, coconut cream and lemon meringue. Prices for whole cream pies and pecan pies are $18.50, or by the slice at $4.99 each. Fruit pies are $17 for a whole pie or $3.99 by the slice.

“Our ingredients are the freshest fruit and our crusts are all made of whole ingredients, no additives,” said Lifschin. “They are scratch-made in our on-site bakery.”

In honor of Pi Day, Minuteman is providing pies for fourth-graders at Bedwell Elementary School in Bernardsville.

“Unfortunately, we are closed on Mondays and Pi Day is Monday,” said Lifschin. However, she said, Minuteman will take pre-orders by phone and customers can pick up their pies over the weekend.

Minuteman Restaurant & Pie Shoppe is located at 990 Mt. Kemble Ave., Morristown. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday; closed Mondays.

For more information or to place an order, call 973-425-9798, email minutemanrestaurant@gmail.com, or visit www.minutemanrestaurant.com.

Wholly Wholesome, a Chester-based manufacturer of frozen natural baked goods, offers a line of prepared apple, blueberry, cherry, pumpkin and dairy-free pumpkin pies, plus chocolate and graham cracker pie crusts and whole wheat and spelt organic pie shells.

The company is kicking off its celebration of Pi Day with a “Pie for Pi Day” promotional campaign during the month of March. Teachers can submit videos and photos that demonstrate the love for math by students and the celebration of Pi Day with pie. Submissions of past Pi Day celebrations will be accepted. The winner will receive twelve months of Wholly Wholesome pies. For more information, visit www.whollywholesome.com/pie-for-pi-day.php.

Wholly Wholesome products are available at Whole Foods, Kings, ShopRite, Health Shoppes and other local retailers. For more information, visit www.whollywholesome.com.

Send your Pi Day photos to eabreu@gannettnj.com.