The Power of Pie: Mandala Pies
Each month Caitlin LaComb, owner of the new Mandala Pies in Vienna, Maryland, bakes upwards of 400 pies on a rotating menu of 12-15 varieties. That’s more than one pie for each member of the tiny town’s population (265), and just enough to meet the demands of the growing business.
Mandala Pies had its official Grand Opening last month after a journey that included a move to the Eastern Shore. LaComb, her husband Mikey, and son Branch, relocated after being unable to find a suitable bakery location where they had been living in suburban Virginia. But Caitlin met Mikey in the Army Reserve when she was a Civil Affairs Specialist - she served in several places including Germany and the Horn of Africa; he remains active. So where other saw hurdles, they saw opportunity.
“My parents live in Salisbury and my Dad had been looking at spaces, trying to get me to look ‘over the Bridge’,” said LaComb, who is an alumnus of University of Maryland Eastern Shore. “He saw an ad for this space last summer and I came and toured it. We signed the lease in January and got to work, thinking we would open the spring.”
They received their approval from the health department on March 4 – days before the lock-down. LaComb said that “delayed our plan of attack – so we formulated a new one.”
They knew as a food source they were deemed “essential” and could still sell pies. Things continued to move forward, and by May there were regular shop hours for pick-up with the doors opening in October.
“The business is growing fast; it’s exciting and we really have our work cut out for us,” says LaComb. “We want to be a community resource; a place people can feel safe going for pie and gatherings.”
The Grand Opening event, which was held on the bakery’s large lawn, inspired LaComb to think of other ways to open their shop to the community. On a recent Saturday afternoon, Mandala Pies hosted a free outdoor Festival with live music and family activities. Guests were encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, even a picnic lunch.
On Friday evenings in December, the shop will host Merry & Bright Nights at Mandala Pies, featuring Mrs. Claus reading children’s books, hot chocolate and coffee, Christmas cookies and of course, pies.
LaComb is most proud “to be very thoughtful with each recipe and process that goes into every single item. For instance, we use three pounds of fruit for each fruit-based pie. We can make many pies vegan. We can be creative, as with the Old Farmer’s Almanac Apple Pie with Cinnamon Roll Crust.”
Some other great options for Thanksgiving are the bright magenta Cranberry Bliss Pie with a gingersnap crust, the Southern Belle pecan pie and any of the four selections of pumpkin pie: Perfect Pumpkin, Honey Pumpkin, Pumpkin Latte and the Hallow’s Eve with dark chocolate. Full-size pies cost $22-$38. Hand pies are also available in many flavors.
Thanksgiving orders are due by November 16. You can also catch LaComb, often with her family, at the Cambridge Farmer’s Market on Thursdays through November.
Mandala Pies
115 Old Ocean City Gateway, Vienna, Md.
443-953-0940
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Wednesday & Thursday, 11am-6pm
Friday, 12pm-6pm
Saturday, 11am-4pm
Catering is available up to 100 pies.
