ivy Uppercrust Pastry

There were only four or five vendors at the Prudential Plaza farmers' market this morning. But I bought Japanese turnips, radishes, and sugar snaps from the Nichols,' and a wonderful loaf of seven grain bread from Fulton Street Baking to go with some cheese already in the office. Then I saw this booth.

and these

and these

and pies. Big beautiful pies. Here's the crust on the strawberry-rhubarb


I'm glad to report that it all tasted even better than it looked. They call the first item an "almond breakfast cake with fresh fruit," presumably so you don't feel bad about eating it at 9 in the morning. I didn't. Very moist, very rich, very almondy.

I waited to pull out the pie until all the morning's veggies had been eaten and we'd made it through our staff meeting. An absolutely authentic prize-worthy pie. Remarkably tart with lots and lots of rhubarb that was certainly cooked, but not at all gooey. It's what pies were back when farmers' wives still served them at breakfast, before someone decreed that pies should be closer to jam than to fruit.

This is their first farmers' market foray and they're only participating in the Prudential Plaza market (Tuesdays). They bake at the Winston Market on Southport, which also carries some of their baked goods. That's Ivy and her mom in the photo, staffing it themselves.

Although all this makes it feel like an operation that's just getting started, or an amateur just turning professional, it turns out from their website that there are some serious baking chops behind the operation. I can't say, having sampled the goods, that I'm at all surprised.

ivy
Uppercrust Pastry
312 969-0400

Wow. I'm a sucker for a good pie - but that chocolate cake is calling me...

I met the charming Ivy for the first time this morning at Prudential Plaza. Turns out she is an extremely talented and pedigreed chef, with a degree from NY's French Culinary Institute, a stint in the kitchen at the famous Nobu, and a cult following in NY based on her reputation for producing some of the city's best pastries at Westville, a small, neighborhood restaurant/ bakery in the Village. If her wild blueberry pie is any indication, we are extremely lucky to have her back in her home town, Chicago. Quite simply a perfect pie crust: buttery, flaky but not dry, and a beautiful golden color on top and bottom. In the filling, the blueberries kept their texture and were not overly sweetened. They tasted like, well, really good blueberries.

Ivy is searching out potential bakery locations. Meanwhile, get yourself over to Prudential Plaza on Tuesdays, or you can find her stuff at Winston's Market: 3440 N. Southport Ave in Lakeview.

pictures of the above-mentioned phenomenal pie:

I'm really digging the second "pie with face-print" shot. If I had a pie as delicious looking as that, that's exactly the way I'd eat it - hands-free pie-contest style.

Mhays wrote:I'm really digging the second "pie with face-print" shot. If I had a pie as delicious looking as that, that's exactly the way I'd eat it - hands-free pie-contest style.

Yes, I ate this at my desk just before a client meeting. Not sure I made the best impression. My dry cleaner was happy though.

Kennyz-

Was that pie crust as short as it looks? It almost seems like its puff pastry.

aschie30 wrote:Kennyz-

Was that pie crust as short as it looks? It almost seems like its puff pastry.

Indeed it was. It takes an extraordinarily adept pastry hand to make something this flaky and light, without the slightest hint of chew. I couldn't make this crust in my wildest dreams.

in case anyone's headed to Prudential to find Ivy today, I've learned that she is vacationing in Paris this week. Don't know if the stand will there at today's market.

Kennyz wrote:in case anyone's headed to Prudential to find Ivy today, I've learned that she is vacationing in Paris this week. Don't know if the stand will there at today's market.

The stand is not at today's market.

No Ivy again today

She's back! Go and get the city's best pie, if you find yourself anywhere near Prudential Plaza today or any other Tuesday morning. In case this is additional draw... Mirai corn is now selling at Prudential market too.

The Prudential Plaza Tuesday market has opened for the season, and Ivy and her mom are back. I just had a terrific cranberry-orange scone, and will be eating one of Ivy's miraculous pies this evening. Loop-workers: get thee to Prudential Plaza today.

Stay tuned for late summer, when Ivy will start selling "Kenny's Apple Pie".

I will mark it for next week. Does anyone know if they use lard or other rendered fats in their products? It makes a lovely crust but I don't consume it.

fantastic mini cherry pie today. perfect balance of sweet and tart fruit, with just a little bit of added sugar. Same buttery, flaky crust as always.

I had one of Ivy's pies from the farmer's market. It was a wonderful peach/plum/apricot pie. The crust was light and flaky. We also purchased the carrot cake which was also very good.

The items purchased last week were so good we went back to the Southport market today. This time the chocolate magic cake, breakfast cakes and another peach/apriocot plum pie was purchased. I sampled the choclate magic cake this afternoon. it was great; nice chocolate ganache; not overly sweet

In addition to Tuesday's at Prudential, this year Ivy is also selling her stuff at the Daley Plaza Thursday market.

I'm so sad to learn that Ivy Uppercrust is moving to CA! I am not a big fan of pie, but love ivy's! Her concord grape pie is a slice of heaven. I didn't even get a chance to enjoy her baked goods this year at Daley Plaza.

So that's why they haven't come to Daley Plaza in weeks. I am in MOURNING!

What incredible pie crust -- what lovely fillings. What a loss. I love Hoosier Mama but Ivy was special -- on a very rainy day they sold me two wild blueberry pies -- 2 for 6$ -- and I was in heaven.

This is very very sad -- doesn't California have enough good food???

earthlydesire wrote:This is very very sad -- doesn't California have enough good food???

The more important question is "doesn't Chicago have enough worthy, available men?" Apparently none that measure up to Ivy's future husband, with whom she'll be in CA. I wish her the best, and will lament the loss of wonderful pies, homemade oreos, and "The Kenny," which was supposed to be a homemade nutter butter cookie Ivy was working on per my request.

Kennyz wrote:

earthlydesire wrote:This is very very sad -- doesn't California have enough good food???

The more important question is "doesn't Chicago have enough worthy, available men?" Apparently none that measure up to Ivy's future husband, with whom she'll be in CA. I wish her the best, and will lament the loss of wonderful pies, homemade oreos, and "The Kenny," which was supposed to be a homemade nutter butter cookie Ivy was working on per my request.

Can you get some of the secrets to her beautiful flaky crust? I dream of making a crust like that! It looks like a cross between a puff pastry and a butter crust. Chicago's loss is California's gain

Diane wrote:

Kennyz wrote:

earthlydesire wrote:This is very very sad -- doesn't California have enough good food???

The more important question is "doesn't Chicago have enough worthy, available men?" Apparently none that measure up to Ivy's future husband, with whom she'll be in CA. I wish her the best, and will lament the loss of wonderful pies, homemade oreos, and "The Kenny," which was supposed to be a homemade nutter butter cookie Ivy was working on per my request.

Can you get some of the secrets to her beautiful flaky crust? I dream of making a crust like that! It looks like a cross between a puff pastry and a butter crust. Chicago's loss is California's gain

I asked Ivy last summer, and she said she uses all butter and a mixer. I didn't recall any other unusual ingredients like vodka.