High 5 Pie serves up homemade by-the-slice sweetness at Fuel Coffee

For many people, pie is one of the most evocative foods -- invoking sensory memories of Mom, a specific season or a holiday. Food writer M.F.K. Fisher says of people and their favorite pie, "They can taste it on their mind's tongue..." and it's true.

And what goes better with pie than coffee? It's a classic combination. That's the premise behind Fuel Coffee shop owner Dani Cone's newest venture, High 5 Pie, launched on Dec. 15, 2008. Cone describes her pies as "classics that never go out of style," and adds that "in tough times people want to simplify and go back to basics." Pies allow for that, adding daily by-the-slice sweetness for not a lot of dough when the going gets rough.

These from-scratch pies come in two sizes, three flavors and are handmade using Cone's Grandma Molly's flaky all-butter crust recipe, fresh ingredients and love. The traditional 7-inch deep-dish pies retail for $12 and come in apple crumb, berry and seasonal (right now it's pear cranberry ginger). Flipsides, reminiscent of a Hostess Pie (Cone refers to them as "handmade Hostess"), are convenient and portable, perfect for an on-the-go pie craving. They retail for $3.75 and come in the same flavors as the larger pies with the exception of apple, which is minus the crumb topping. 

The High 5 Pie concept fits well into the "vintage modern" theme of Fuel's three locations (Capitol Hill, Montlake and Wallingford), where a good cup of coffee prevails and the vibe is casual and unpretentious. High 5 Pies and Flipsides can be purchased at any Fuel location, but Cone takes special orders for larger quantities as well. Just e-mail her at dani@high5pie.com.

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