Radical Librarians Get Down!

by D. Helfferich, published in The Ester Republic, v. 11 n. 9

“If anyone knows how to throw a family fun music festival in the name of books, berries and a building, it’s the radical librarians of Ester.”
—Rebecca George, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

“And they [the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner] don’t know the half of it….”
—June Pinnell-Stephens, retired librarian, Noel Wien Public Library

With seventeen pies, three judges, twelve bands and performers, and roughly 200 or more attendees, the John Trigg Ester Library earned $2,596 from its 4th Annual Li-Berry Music Festival and was a celebration of good food, good music, and good books. The event, held at the Golden Eagle Saloon and Hartung Hall, lasted from noon until bar closing. Attendees included people, dogs, and horses, and bar owner Hillary even broke out the fireworks later in the evening, after a few downpours soaked the woods.

Music ranged from folk to experimental rock to traditional Celtic to jazz to blues to union tunes. Ellen Manion came early and played mandolin on the porch while pie contestants registered their pies. Nate Montgomery and George Gianakopoulos started the festival off at 3 pm, followed at half-hour intervals by the Banana Girls Ukelele Band, Jean McDermott, and Johnny Machine King. After the awards for the pie contest were announced, Jazz Pharm took the stage, followed by New Cut Road, Elzbeth Adams, Mike Stackhouse, the Back C’untry Bruthers, and, playing into the wee hours and closing down the house, The Good Daze. After the pie throwdown, music started at Hartung Hall as well: Musical Rumors Jazz Choir, followed by Matt Johnson, Amanda Booth, and George Gianakopoulos, and concluding the evening with a rousing square dance featuring music by Lost Dog, called by Lynn Basham. (This group plans to have a monthly square dance in Hartung Hall, times and dates to be announced.)

The Pie Throwdown

Sunnyside Productions set up the sound in both the hall and the bar while contestants brought their pies in and registered for the Throwdown. Bribes (donations to the library for brownie points) ranged as high as $100 cash, and included a beautiful watercolor painting of a pie on a porch rail that the judges donated to the library. Judges Mimi Hill, Nancy Tarnai, and Susan Willsrud enthusiastically tasted each pie and awarded prizes based on everything from taste to creativity to sophistication.

Mali Noreen emceed the pie awards at 5 pm, and the three top prize-winning pies were auctioned off to the crowd. Pie contest winners won a library membership; cookbooks on chocolate, desserts, and dessert canapés; pie-serving tools; Calypso Farm & Ecology Center flowers and vegetables; Ester library and Calypso Farm t-shirts; and wines. The auctioned pies were the High Latitude Low Latitude Pie ($75), the Blueberry Pear Pie ($50), and the Salmon Cranberry Pie ($40). Slices from the remaining pies were sold for a donation of $5 each, and in short order only crumbs were left.

The awards were:

Pie #1: High Latitude Low Latitude Pie, by Alyce B. Toklas, made with North Carolina garnet sweet potatoes, hand-picked lowbush cranberries from Beyond Ester, organic eggs, raw sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and secret family crust recipe. Baker’s note: “contrary to the original recipe, no marijuana was utilized in the construction of this pie.” Overall Champion, winner of a ten-year library membership. Judges’ notes: $100 bribe—great crust! Best bribe.

Pie #2: Berry, Berry, Berry, Berry, & Berry, by Kate Billington, made with rasperries, cranberries, and blueberries. Berriest, winner of a bouquet of flowers from Calypso Farm. Judges’ note: best use of berries.

Pie #3: Blueberry Chocolate Pie, by Deirdre Helfferich, made with blueberries, basil, peppermint, and chocolate, with a saffron and walnut crust. Most Surprising Ingredients, winner of Boom Boom! Syrah. Judges’ notes: AMAZING. Most unusual.

Pie #4: Rhubarb Raspberry Pie, by Erich Hoefler, made with a dash of orange, light frothing of butter, flour, sugar, and Ester Dome rhubarb and raspberries. We Demand the Recipe!, winner of Eat Local t-shirt. Judges’ notes: Tasty, sophisticated, great combo.

Pie #5: Cherry Rhubarb Pie, by Terry Koltak, made with cherries, rhubarb, coconut, and. Best Crust, winner of an Ester library t-shirt. Judges’ notes: great sweet coconut crust. Very interesting. Memorable.

Pie #6: Salmon Cranberry Pie, by Christie Shell, made with salmon, rice, carmelized onions, and lowbush cranberries. Essential Alaska Pie, Most Creative Use of Berries, winner of a pie tool. Judges’ notes: savory, good crust, good use of berries.

Pie #7: Blueberry Pear Pie, by Holly Harrison, made with blueberries, pears, and an oatmeal crust. Tastiest, winner of small desserts cookbook. Judges’ notes: Super tasty, AWESOME. Tastiest, best crust, appearance.

Pie #8: Blueberry-Raspberry Pie, by Addie Willsrud, made with honey. Definitive Ester Pie, winner of a pie server. Judges’ notes: Good & tart. Like real Alaska blueberries. Appearance [yin-yang crust].

Pie #9: Blueberry-Raspberry-Carrot Pie, by Elsa Willsrud, made with blueberries, raspberries, shredded carrot, and blueberry-juice-flavored crust. Most Daring/Healthiest, winner of an Ester library t-shirt. Judges’ notes: interesting, daring, & new! Unusual.

Pie #10: Cranberry-Apple-Pecan Pie, by Cynthia Anderson. Bribe of original artwork. Most Memorable, winner of Rustic Fruit Desserts cookbook. Judges’ notes: fantastic spices, great flavor. Good crust. Traditional. Best spices.

Pie #11: Chocolate Apple Cranberry Pie, by Jackie Dagger. Most Creative, winner of Chocolate cookbook. Judges’ notes: tasty, great crunchy apples.

Pie #12: Chicken Pot Pie, by Hannah Hill, made with chicken, peas, lowbush cranberries. Most Traditional, winner of one week’s share of veggies from Calypso Farm. Judges’ notes: traditional looking, tasty.

Pie #13: Key Lime Pie, by Hannah Hill, made with limes, blueberries, and graham cracker crust. Thought-Provoking, winner of Colosi wine. Judges’ notes: $8 bribe, sweet & sour perfectly.

Pie #14: Mixed Berry Pie, by Amy Taylor. Sweet & Simple, winner of an Eat Local t-shirt. Creator provided recipe. Judges’ notes: sweety, fruity, not too syrupy. Great crust. Not Alaska berries.

(There was no pie #15 registered.)

Pie #16: Tomato Jam Pies, by Greta Burkart, made with tomatoes. Most Sophisticated, winner of SlipStream Shiraz. Judges’ notes: $13 bribe. Delicious, spicy, sweet.

Pie #17: Alaska Blueberry Pie, by Joe and Peter. Simplicity Defined, winner of a bouquet of flowers from Calypso Farm. Judges’ notes: simple, classic.

Pie #18: Alaska Blueberry Raspberry Blackberry Pie, by Rena and Pete. Grandma Would Be Proud!, winner of a week’s worth of veggies from Calypso. Judges’ notes: good, tart.

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