Last week, fellow food blogger Jennifer Perillo’s husband passed away all of the sudden. I’ve chatted with Jennifer on Twitter and Facebook, but I don’t know her well. Yet the sudden death of husband struck a chord with me and with the food community at large. An outpouring of support, love and virtual hugs seem to surround Jennifer and it seemed like everyone was asking if there was something they could do to help. Jennifer asked people this past Friday to make or blog about her husband’s favorite pie: Creamy Peanut Butter Pie. And the food community responded by doing just that.
The outpour of people in the food community was moving beyond words. White on Rice Couple created a video for it. The Food Network listed all the blog posts that they could find on Friday for the Peanut Butter Pie. Twitter was flowing with tweets from people across the globe making pies, using the hashtag #APieForMikey. CNN’s Eatocracy wrote about Jennifer and Mikey and the pie, and over a 1000 people “attended” the facebook event “Peanut Butter Pie Friday for Mikey and Jennifer Perillo.”
I was deep in the thrall of baking for a dessert party that I was hosting this past Saturday. But I made sure to make the creamy peanut butter pie for our party. It was one of the first pies that many of my friends reached for (food bloggers or otherwise) and at the end of the party there was not a crumb left of it. A few people asked why it was named “Mikey’s Creamy Peanut Butter Pie” and I made sure they knew the story behind it.
I resisted tinkering with the recipe, other than to use oreos instead of chocolate cookies for the crust (it’s what I had on hand). It would have been easy for me to fancy it up; that’s what I tend to do with my desserts, but it didn’t feel right. This pie wasn’t about what I could do with it, it was about remember someone that passed away. A father, a husband, a friend, a loved one. I made it for Jennifer, for Mikey and for their girls, and made sure my friends and loved ones had some to share. Then I hugged my partner AJ like there’s no tomorrow, because today is sometimes all you have.
For the recipe, please visit Jennifer’s original post. Much love to Jennifer and to the food blogging community that has rallied around her. My thoughts are with her and all my friends who have recently lost loved ones.
Anavar Oxandrolone says
That pie looks awesome. Mikey is one lucky guy.
Ana
Aly says
I love this. Kind words in a most unkind circumstance… Thank you!
Vijitha Shyam says
Gorgoeus! Looks so yum Irvin
elizabeyta says
You are not supposed to make me cry! My Beloved got a long hard hug too.
Ethan says
It looks great Irvin. I also didn’t mess with the recipe too much, other than using chocolate chip cookies for the crust because toying with the recipe didn’t seem like the thing to do here.
Jerry (CbsoP) says
Mine was late too, but much better late than never! The only addition I made was to add Kahlua and butter to the chocolate. A very sad reason for such a warm outpouring.
Robert says
Hi, Irvin. I’m a small-business writer who can’t properly toast a Pop-Tart, but like many of you foodies, I’ve been totally captivated by the response to Mike Perillo’s death. It’s so nice to see a tribe pulling together to help one of their own, and it’s good to know that social media doesn’t HAVE to be about building one’s personal brand. Thanks for your beautiful tribute. Just wanted you to know I was moved.
Irvin says
Thank you Robert. It really is amazing to see how the community rallied behind something so terrible. And I completely agree with you about social media. It’s so much more than just a way to build a brand. It’s a way to communicate and create a tribe/community.
S. B. Hadley Wilson says
It was delicious!
Mary says
Irvin – I was anxious to see the pie you’d made for Mikey. Both the pie and post are beautiful. I never met Jennifer but I keep thinking about Jennifer and her family.
Brooke @ Food Woolf says
A beautiful post and a wonderful outpouring of support for Jennifer. It’s incredible to see just how much love has been coming her way these past few days. And like Robert the previous commenter so aptly stated, it’s wonderful to see the power of social media being used for the love and service of another.
ramza says
this pie wouldn’t last a day at my house. looks fab!!!
grafik bildbearbeitung says
so delirious i want eat now
grafik bildbearbeitung