LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Hundreds of pies will go out the door at the Midway Bakery on Wednesday as families prepare for their Thanksgiving celebrations. Chef Ouita Michel says her team has been working around the clock to meet the holiday demand.
Michel says each pie from the Midway Bakery is made entirely from scratch with recipes that have stood the test of time.
"We use all shell eggs here, we use all real butter, we don't use any mixes, we don't use any frozen products, we make all of our pie shells by hand, we make everything really the way my mother and grandmother made it," Michel said. "A lot of our recipes either came from my family or someone here in town."
One of the most popular choices this week is chess pie, a classic Southern-style dessert. In all, Michel estimates employees have baked nearly 700 pies for Thanksgiving week, from pumpkin to chocolate bourbon pecan.
One challenge bakeries faced this year was price volatility for important ingredients like eggs and butter. Michel says as a small business, they've tried to keep costs stable for their products and purchase local when they can.
She's grateful her customers are also choosing to shop local as workers churn out hundreds of desserts for the Thanksgiving table.
"I think we're standing in one of the places I'm most thankful for right now, honestly, it's the people in my life. It's all of our employees and how hard they work, the passion they bring to their jobs. Not just the Midway Bakery, but every one of our restaurants," Michel said.
