We went to our first Pie Auction on Tuesday evening.  It was held at the Cedar Key School and the proceeds goes to the Junior class.

It was my first auction ever and I discovered I'm very dangerous with that stick in my hand.  I'm not a gambler at all.....seldom even purchase a lottery ticket.  However, put that stick in my hand with a number written on cardboard and I turn into a mad woman!  It became a source of determination to outbid for a particular pie and also a source of competition that my bid would take the pie.

The auctioneer was great and moved things along quickly.....because they had 140 entries this year (normally only have 60-70) he said they'd start the bidding at $7 and that would be for two items.  So we were off and running.......very quickly bids rose to $50 and $60.  I went there only wanting a pecan pie and some kind of chocolate pie for Ray.  (a chocoholic) 

However, I left there 2 hours later.....with 10 pies!  Yes, I said TEN.  Well, in my defense, they weren't all pies.  Rose Valle owner of the Cactus Rose, had donated a dozen of her home baked muffins and her Cinnamon coffee cake.  Now come on, I JUST had to have those too!  And I got them!  My bid was the highest.  So technically, I walked away with 8 pies....got my pecan, a peanut butter one for Ray, an apple/caramel crunch, lemon merrainge, a chocolate bar layer, and I've forgotten what the other three are.

Thank God we have a freezer!  Everything was home baked and lemme tell ya.....the women on this island know how to bake!  From what I've sampled, I'm impressed with their culinary abilities.  But I got to thinking about it.....you have to realize we have no bakery on the island.  I think little girls learn how to bake (and bake well) at a very young age.  If you want baked items, you sure can't run to the Publix bakery here.  So therefore, I think all the wonderful recipes are passed down generation to generation.  I think that's really neat, because I've said for years that cooking is a lost art.....unfortunately.

I was amazed at some of the bids.....one man bid $90, my highest was $70 for 2 items and the highest I heard was $100!

So we walked away with our own little bakery and a large dent in my checkbook.  But I feel very strongly on education, so donating to the school is always a worthwhile thing to do.  So every piece I slice, I'll know it was for a good cause.  And you have to know if you come to visit me....you'll get a nice piece of homemade pie with your coffee.

Enjoy your day after turkey day and I'll see you tomorrow.......