Posted by The Advocate, CT on November 12, 2008 at 10:41:29:
Norwalk pie shop gets its slice of fame
By Lisa Chamoff
Staff Writer
NORWALK - Michele Albano's small pie shop on Main Avenue has quite a few fans, and many of them were packed inside Tuesday afternoon.
The ingredients for Albano's award-winning chocolate pecan bourbon recipe were arranged neatly in the kitchen as a television crew set up a camera and lights. "Good Morning America Weekend" has chosen Michele's Pies as one of four finalists in its "Best Slice Challenge."
Anchor Marysol Castro was there to film a segment that will air between 8 and 9 a.m. Sunday.
It was an exciting opportunity for Albano, 32, who opened her store in December with partner Kelly Stuart in a small strip mall at 666 Main Ave.
"To me, this is huge," said Albano, who learned she was a finalist Saturday. "It's right around Thanksgiving, which is more than we could have ever expected."
The contest also is poignant for Albano, a two-time winner of the American Pie Council's National Pie Challenge. She learned about baking from her grandmother, who died a few months before Albano founded her business in Vermont in May 2006.
One of the last things Albano said to her grandmother was, "One day, I'm going to make your pies famous."
Albano got a lot of help from her family Tuesday. Her father, Ira Miner, and stepmother, Ruth Miner, of Stamford are part of the store's "crash crew," helping out when things are busy. And it was - the shop was filled with customers and family friends.
"I'm emotional," said Ira Miner, asked to describe his feelings about
his daughter's national TV debut.
Albano's fans propelled her to the finals in the "Slice Challenge."
"We got hundreds of submissions," said Jennifer Pirone, a "Good Morning America Weekend" producer. "This place got a lot of glowing reviews. We went by a number of things. Basically, when people wrote in, they had great ways of pitching."
Robert DeSena didn't nominate Michele's Pies, but he could have.
DeSena, 24, who works nearby as a media planner for Touchpoint Communications, visits the shop about three to four times a week, sometimes getting frozen pot pies for lunch.
"The thing is, I don't eat that much dessert, and I found this place," said the Fairfield man, who stopped by Tuesday with co-workers after hearing about the filming. "Everything she's made is unbelievable."
DeSena collaborated with Albano on a Halloween-themed pie he suggested, with an Oreo cookie crust, crumbled Snickers bars, candy corns and M&Ms.
"We're all going to vote for her," DeSena said.
Ruth Miner and other workers crowded in the kitchen, snapping shots with digital cameras.
The show has not told Albano who the other finalists are, only where they're from. The winner will be determined by a panel of judges, along with
Pecan chocolate bourbon pies are ready for sale Tuesday at Michele's Pies in Norwalk. (Chris Preovolos/Staff photo)online votes from viewers, and announced Nov. 23.
Castro, who strode in the door to cheers, a cameraman trailing behind her, may soon be a Michele's Pies convert.
"I'm very excited to be here because I'm going to eat one of everything," Castro said, eyeing the array of pies in the display case.
- Staff Writer Lisa Chamoff can be reached at lisa.chamoff@scni.com or 750-5348.
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