An Overview

The VEISHEA Cherry Pies event was started over 80 years ago. This tradition is actually older than the VEISHEA celebration itself. Student managers and student staff produce the 9000 cherry pies that are sold annually during VEISHEA. Proceeds generated from the sale of cherry pies are used solely to fund HRIM program scholarships.

Making the Cherry Pies

The cherry pies are made in separate steps and the complete process takes a full month. The three steps are making the crusts, cooking the cherry pie filling, and finally, assembling the pies and decorating with whipped cream.

The Pie Crusts

Students measure and mix the dough one day and then press the dough into pie tins the next day. This may sound simple, but the actual process is very detailed and requires students to use all of the organizational and managerial skills learned in their HRIM classes.

Approximately 40 students working 2 shifts press the 10,000 plus crusts into the pie tins. The crusts are then carefully packaged and frozen until they are ready for assembling.

The Pie Filling

When was the last time you saw 30 5-gallon buckets of cherries? That's approximately the quantity of cherries it takes to make the filling for all of the VEISHEA cherry pies! Every cherry is hand-inspected for stems and pits.

The juice is saved to make the cherry syrup, which is mixed in a 50-gallon steam-jacketed kettle. When the filling is cooked and thickened it is combined with the cherries and is then ready for assembling the pies.

Assembling and Decorating the Pies

Now the work of assembling the pies begins with 100 boxes of crusts and 150 gallons of cherry filling. The crusts are thawed and baked during the production day and then the cherry filling is placed in the crust.

The final touch in assembling the pies is to add a dollop of whipped cream to top off each pie. Again, it may sound simple, but this step is quite a process. A separate work area of the kitchen is blocked off to set out the pies and to group student workers in position to individually decorate the thousands of pies.

Sales

At the beginning of the first day of sales, a long line has typically already formed down the HRIM hallway and out the back door onto the street. These people include visitors, Ames residents, ISU students and staff in line to buy a cherry pie or two, and some individuals sent on a mission to buy and deliver a larger number of pies for friends and co-workers!

The long line presents some logistical challenges for all involved with the cherry pie sales; however, the line moves quickly. Customers pay up front and then pick up their pies in the kitchen. They are then directed through the Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom in an efficient, well-organized manner to ensure that everyone will get their cherry pies in a timely fashion.

Half of the cherry pies are sold on Friday and the other half are sold on Saturday, as the VEISHA parade marches by for another year.

What happens to all of the 30 nice, solid 5-gallon buckets that held the frozen cherries? We sell those too!

Cherry Pie Sales is an HRIM Team Effort!

Planning, baking, and selling VEISHEA Cherry Pies is an HRIM team effort. All faculty, staff, and students are involved in some way. The success of the event ensures that student scholarships will be available to help support HRIM students, current and future, and the delicious, handmade cherry pies will satisfy public demand for this popular item!

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