By Christina Santucci
The founder of the Queens County Market decided to appeal to people’s taste buds to support typhoon relief in the Philippines Sunday.
The pop-up market held its first fund-raising pie bake-off at the Singlecut Beersmiths in Astoria during its monthly artisan fair, and all of the $700 in proceeds from the four-hour sale of sweet and savory treats were slated to go to Oxfam America, an international relief organization.
For a $12 tasting fee, visitors could sample any of the more than 20 pies from businesses and home bakers alike before filling out scorecards for their favorites.
“I was born in the Philippines, so it’s definitely a cause close to my heart,” said market founder Katrina Schultz-Richter, who added that she focused on baked goods because of a fondness for them in the Philippines.
“Filipinos love pies,” she said.
Options included Rest-au-Rant’s bourbon spiced apple bacon pie, Queens Kickshaw’s zucchini/squash creation with seaweed crust and scallion cream and a chocolate caramel pecan treat by baker Andreas Incontro. Astoria bakery Sweets First and Edible Queens also pitched in pies for the event.
Tecumseh Ceasar, an intern with Queens County Market, was not sure if the cranberry spiced rum eggnog pie by Rudy Martinez would win, but it scored the best for him.
“It blew my mind,” he said.
And other tasters agreed. The eggnog treat took home the award for best sweet pie, and Martinez was voted best local baker. The zucchini/squash dish won top honors in the savory category, and Rest-au-Rant in Astoria earned the prize of best business in the competition.
Winners were presented with gift baskets stuffed with items like tea and kimchee from the Queens County Market shops.
Schultz-Richter set up the pop-up market in April 2012 and, depending on the location, anywhere from 10 to 20 sellers will participate.
Each vendor has its own speciality.
“You won’t see two cookie people or two salsa people,” she said.
Although many of the shops are based in Queens, the market also accepts vendors from other boroughs like a Harlem company with Jamaican goods and a Chai tea seller from Brooklyn.
Queens County Market has set up several times at Singlecut Beersmiths and has held the fair at locations throughout western Queens, including Sac’s Place restaurant in Astoria and Sunnyside Community Services.
“We kind of like the funkiness that the pop-up brings,” Schultz-Richter said.
Reach managing editor Christina Santucci by e-mail at timesledgerphotos@gmail.com by phone at 718-260-4589.
