Victoria Bouvette, a participant from Home of Economy-Herald, brings her love of experimentation to the baking competition.

 Victoria Bouvette, a participant from Home of Economy-Herald, brings her love of experimentation to the baking competition.

GRAND FORKS - Victoria Bouvette enjoys experimenting with tastes in her baking and fusing uncommon ingredients to make surprising sweets, such as orange cheesecake with white chocolate ganache. Or her pies of pear or plum.

I gave it a go because I'd never had a plum pie from anyone, said Bouvette. "Worked out fantastic. I suppose I aim to produce pies with unusual flavours.

Because Bouvette's husband prefers the crumble on Dutch apple pies and dislikes the meringue on lemon pies, she creates lemon crumble pie instead.

According to Bouvette, her passion in baking began in her high school foods class.

"I have always enjoyed sweet things."

The Grand Forks Herald and Home of Economy's Pie Bake-off competition has chosen 16 bakers, including Bouvette of Grand Forks.

The bracketed competition, which starts on August 22 and lasts for four weeks, aims to showcase the greatest pie bakers in the region. The top finisher will receive a prize that is at least $1,000. Bremer Bank of Grand Forks is Bouvette's corporate sponsor.

She gave up her full-time career to become a stay-at-home mother about five years ago. She stated that she needed to "do something" at home with her three small boys.

I started baking, a lot, she remarked.

She has just embraced her passion for baking.

"I have always enjoyed sweet things."

The Grand Forks Herald and Home of Economy's Pie Bake-off competition has chosen 16 bakers, including Bouvette of Grand Forks.

The bracketed competition, which starts on August 22 and lasts for four weeks, aims to showcase the greatest pie bakers in the region. The top finisher will receive a prize that is at least $1,000. Bremer Bank of Grand Forks is Bouvette's corporate sponsor.

She gave up her full-time career to become a stay-at-home mother about five years ago. She stated that she needed to "do something" at home with her three small boys.

I started baking, a lot, she remarked.

She has just embraced her passion for baking.

Bouvette is hoping that her love of trying new things would make her stand out in the Home of Economy-Herald competition. Her French silk pie demonstrates this talent.

She remarked, "I like to mix chocolates." "I use bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate."

She added that she uses butter and ordinary Crisco shortening and that she also like combining fats in pie dough.

She uses a cook's flame to slightly burn the tops of the small meringue dollops that completely cover the pie when she creates lemon meringue; they resemble white Hershey Kisses.

She claimed that "the extra loving touches make all the difference in a pie."

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