Across Chicago, bakeries are seeing an uptick in pie orders. Pi Day, or March 14, is a celebration of the mathematical constant used to measure the circumference of a circle. For Hoosier Mama Pie Company, the holiday also marks another milestone.
“It’s Pi Day; the best day of the year and it’s also our 15th anniversary of opening today,” said Olivia Sweets, Pastry Chef and General Manager of Hoosier Mama Pie.
Sweets began baking as a child with her mom during the holidays. Now, she runs the West Town bakery which was packed with customers as slices of pies flew off the shelves. From Maple Bacon to Matcha Custard, the local bakery specializes in a variety of artisanal pies made by scratch.
“Whenever you get a pie from us, almost all of our bakers have had a hand in it,” said Sweets.
On a normal Thursday, Sweets said the bakery goes through around 50 pies. Today, her team has baked nearly 500. The preparation for the holiday began last week and the group of bakers worked tirelessly to make hundreds of pies.
“You’re getting something that we’ve all come together and collaborated on as a team to make for you which I think is one of the coolest things about making pies,” said Sweets.
The phenomenon surrounding Pi Day seems as infinite as its digits. Today also marks Albert Einstein's birthday and the anniversary of Stephen Hawking's death. Whether you’re a math enthusiast or just very passionate about sweets, Happy Pi Day!