Rodney Henry makes baking pies look cool. After perfecting his pies while on the road with his band, the Glenmont Popes, Henry opened Dangerously Delicious in 2003.
In four days this past Thanksgiving, he and his pietenders baked about 1,500 savory and sweet pies from scratch.
The deluge of Christmas orders isn?t as overwhelming ? only about 600. But they still have a lot of crust, filling and heat ahead of them.
Q What?s better ? making a great pie or rocking out onstage?
A Pies and performing are the same thing [in the sense that] I give both my all and hope people totally dig them.
Q Where do you get your recipes?
A A couple come from my grandmother, who taught me how to bake [pies] like the custard. It?s a killer. I call it White Trash Creme Brulee. The other recipes are trial-and-error. … We?re heading towards having 60 different pies [on the menu].
Q What?s the most popular?
A Apple and all of the pecan, especially the Mobtown Brown with pecans, chocolate and caramel. It?s awesome.
Q Any unusual requests?
A Vinegar pie ? older people always ask for it. It?s nice and tart. Smells funky but tastes really good.
Q What restaurants in the area serve your pies?
A Three … Rocket to Venus and Blue House are our … biggest sellers.
Q What?s your worst kitchen moment?
A I just finished mixing a batch of very sticky, chess pie filling for 50 pies. The mix was in this giant bucket, and when I picked it up and put it on the table, the whole bottom cracked. The floor flooded with filling. It was a tsunami of chess. … It was one of those times when I couldn?t make anyone who was working for me clean it up. It was all me. Everybody did chip in, but it took us a good, long time to clean up. For a couple days, we kept finding places we didn?t get before.
Q Tell me about your new pie joint, opening in Fells Point this summer.
A It?s my dream come true. I?ve always wanted a full-on entertainment, pie spot. It?s going to be a super-club in a lounge style. It will be one crazy, totally wild experience. And top-notch, where people take care of you. You come in, get a slice of quiche or pie, have a coffee, whiskey or wine. We?ll have an opening and supporting acts. It won?t be like most bars and clubs where just three guys come regularly. It takes [Dangerously Delicious] to the next level.
If you go
Dangerously Delicious
» Where: 1036 Light St., Baltimore
» Info: 410-522-PIES (7437), dangerouspies.com
Three …
» Where: 2901 East Baltimore St., Baltimore (Patterson Park)
» Info: 410-327-3333
Rocket to Venus
» Where: 3360 Chestnut Ave., Baltimore (Hampden)
» Info: 410-235-7887
Blue House
» Where: 1407 Fleet St., Baltimore (Fells Point)
» Info: 410-276-1180
