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Letter to the editor

Largo Explorer

By Times Staff Writer
Published November 18, 2007

Like many transplanted Northerners, I'd never even heard of key lime pie until I moved to Florida.

And it was not love at first bite.

The first taste made my jowls scream. It was way too tart for my Northernsensibilities.

But I couldn't escape Florida's official state pie. From barbecue joints to seafood restaurants, it's almost always on the menu.

Once I developed a taste for it, there was no turning back.

While my dining companions were ordering creme brulee or tiramisu, I was happily sampling the tart treat anywhere I could find a slice.

Soon it became my favorite.

I've tasted variations with whipped cream and without, drizzled with raspberry coulis or topped with meringue.

But Bobbie Barmore and Marve Pugh, co-owners of The Pie Factory in Largo, know their key lime pie.

The creamy, light yellow dessert strikes a nice balance between sweet and tart.

On average, they sell 1,200 to 1,500 key lime pies each week. You can pick one up at their Largo location, and you'll spy it on menus throughout the Tampa Bay area and beyond.

Not into key lime? There's coconut custard, peanut butter fudge swirl and strawberry rhubarb. The Pie Factory offers about 35 types of pies, plus a variety of cookies, cakes, muffins and breads.

Or you can grab a light lunch at the on-site Toucan's Coffee House Cafe, which has a laid back, Key West style.

The Pie Factory and Toucan's Coffee House Cafe

WHERE: 12777 Walsingham Road, Largo.

TO ORDER: Call 1-866-593-1884.

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays.

[Last modified November 17, 2007, 21:16:30]