ScienceBlogs

Every year, scientists and mathematicians geek out on Pi Day, March 14, in celebration of the universally important ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

Over the two weeks leading up to Pi Day, ScienceBloggers prepared by baking their tastiest pies for the first ever ScienceBlogs Pi Day Pie Bake-Off. Their submissions ranged from traditional—like the Stemwedel family's end-of-winter fruit pie—to patriotic, quirky, and flat-out, albeit mouth-wateringly, bizarre. On Pi Day, we opened up the voting, and readers voted for for their favorite pies from the entries below, based on both picture and recipe.

Which pie took the...pie? Despite Aussie John Wilkins allegation that "Americans do not understand what a pie is," (after witnessing the abundance of fruit- and custard-centric pies), an American had the last laugh: The winner of the Bake-Off by a hefty margin was Seattlite Dave Bacon's Spicy Bacon Pi Squared. Dave and his wife, who conceived the winning recipe, felt that the contest would be incomplete without bacon (naturally).

The winning pie recipe begins with the preparation of bacon brittle. And the final step? "Run fast to the kitchen to get it before others do because this pie is oh so delicious." Congratulations to the Bacons!

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All of the pies:

• End-of-winter fruit pie from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• 'I want to taste springtime!' violet custard pie from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• Schnockaschtettle from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• Tea-time cheesecake pie from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• Foolish rhubarb pie from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• Lemon-berry pie from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• Vegetarian shepherd's pie from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• Chocolate-almond meringue pie from Janet of Adventures in Ethics and Science
• "Yes, PeCan" Pie from Jessica Palmer of bioephemera
• Dark Forest pizza pie from Greta and Dave Munger of Cognitive Daily
• A "real" pie from John Wilkins of Evolving Thoughts
• Kiwi lime pie from Maria Brumm of Green Gabbro (with bonus cocktail!)
• Guinness Lamb Pie from Maria Brumm of Green Gabbro
• Spicy Pi Bacon Squared pie from Dave Bacon of The Quantum Pontiff
• "Too busy for a pie contest" chicken pot pie from ScienceWoman of Sciencewomen
• Bird Pie (no, not that kind) from Zuska of Thus Spake Zuska