If your Thanksgiving dinner’s guest list has morphed into a hungry crowd, there is one place on Sound Avenue in Riverhead that can take the pressures of baking numerous pies off of your hands.
Since 1962, Briermere Farms has been satiating Long Island’s sweet tooth populous with their delectable home baked pies. Their pies are known island wide, and throughout the year, people drive out from as far as Manhattan for the coveted desserts. Whether weekenders are on a quest for picking pumpkins, sipping cider, strolling through Greenport’s harbor village or touring the winery tasting rooms, no one can ever head back west without the requisite stop at Briermere for a pie purchase. As the fresh-baked aromas waft through the door, customers need only follow their noses to a vast selection of pie euphoria.
The farm is owned by the McCombe family. The 300-acre farmland borders behind the house-turned bakery and farm stand, and it extends all the way to the Long Island Sound, growing the vegetables that are sold throughout the summer and autumn seasons and the fruits that are relegated into the flaky, buttery pie crusts.
During the summer, Briermere is brimming with produce and garden plants, just like any other farm stand. Autumn brings in the pumpkins and mums that everyone clamors for each year. One thing about Briermere Farms, however, makes it one of the most celebrated farms on Sound Avenue: the bakery. Open all year, Briermere’s inventory includes preserves, jams and jellies, freshly baked breads, old-fashioned homemade cookies, muffins and, of course, the pies. The pies are their big draw. During the summer and fall months, the swinging door inside the bakery never comes to a halt, releasing the aromas of pies that permeate the market air with each open swing. Customers exit the house with armloads of pie boxes stacked higher than their field of vision, walking with heads tilted to one side so as not to collide with anyone or trip down the steps.
What makes Briermere pies above and beyond all of the rest? All of the recipes used originated from Clark McCombe’s mother and grandmother, and the McCombes have taken great care to continue these recipes, unchanged, because why mess with a good thing? Clark is the eldest son and Briermere’s farming expert, but his two younger brothers, Michael and Phillip, are also largely responsible for the pie success. Everything is made entirely from scratch on the Briermere premises, just as it was fifty years ago. Absolutely no pre-prepared ingredients are used, and most of the fruits are grown on the farm itself.
Their first pies to be produced were apple pies, and they remain a favorite among loyal customers to this day. Today, their pie list has expanded to include an array of fruit pies that include cherry, blueberry, peach, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry rhubarb, peach cherry, blackberry apple, raspberry peach, blueberry crisp, and several other choices including the traditional requisite, Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. Several cream pies are also available, including chocolate cream and cherry cream, as well as such meringue favorites as coconut and lemon. Decision-making does indeed become a torturous challenge. It’s no wonder that folks end up toting multiple choices to their awaiting vehicles.
Whether you feel overextended by the guest list, overwhelmed by the menu or you’re simply baking challenged, focus on the turkey, the sides and the table settings. From traditional pumpkin and autumnal cranberry pear to timeless apple crisp and sublime chocolate cream, Briermere’s got dessert covered.
Because heavy orders are expected for the Thanksgiving holiday, Briermere recommends calling ahead with your order to ensure the pies that you desire. You can contact Briermere by telephone at 631-722-3931. Advance orders are being accepted through November 22, 2013. Briermere is open daily through the fall season from 9am until 5pm. Visit their website at www.briermere.com for hours of operation during Thanksgiving week, directions to the farm and a complete list of their pies.
Since 1962, Briermere Farms has been satiating Long Island’s sweet tooth populous with their delectable home baked pies. Their pies are known island wide, and throughout the year, people drive out from as far as Manhattan for the coveted desserts. Whether weekenders are on a quest for picking pumpkins, sipping cider, strolling through Greenport’s harbor village or touring the winery tasting rooms, no one can ever head back west without the requisite stop at Briermere for a pie purchase. As the fresh-baked aromas waft through the door, customers need only follow their noses to a vast selection of pie euphoria.
The farm is owned by the McCombe family. The 300-acre farmland borders behind the house-turned bakery and farm stand, and it extends all the way to the Long Island Sound, growing the vegetables that are sold throughout the summer and autumn seasons and the fruits that are relegated into the flaky, buttery pie crusts.
During the summer, Briermere is brimming with produce and garden plants, just like any other farm stand. Autumn brings in the pumpkins and mums that everyone clamors for each year. One thing about Briermere Farms, however, makes it one of the most celebrated farms on Sound Avenue: the bakery. Open all year, Briermere’s inventory includes preserves, jams and jellies, freshly baked breads, old-fashioned homemade cookies, muffins and, of course, the pies. The pies are their big draw. During the summer and fall months, the swinging door inside the bakery never comes to a halt, releasing the aromas of pies that permeate the market air with each open swing. Customers exit the house with armloads of pie boxes stacked higher than their field of vision, walking with heads tilted to one side so as not to collide with anyone or trip down the steps.
What makes Briermere pies above and beyond all of the rest? All of the recipes used originated from Clark McCombe’s mother and grandmother, and the McCombes have taken great care to continue these recipes, unchanged, because why mess with a good thing? Clark is the eldest son and Briermere’s farming expert, but his two younger brothers, Michael and Phillip, are also largely responsible for the pie success. Everything is made entirely from scratch on the Briermere premises, just as it was fifty years ago. Absolutely no pre-prepared ingredients are used, and most of the fruits are grown on the farm itself.
Their first pies to be produced were apple pies, and they remain a favorite among loyal customers to this day. Today, their pie list has expanded to include an array of fruit pies that include cherry, blueberry, peach, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry rhubarb, peach cherry, blackberry apple, raspberry peach, blueberry crisp, and several other choices including the traditional requisite, Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. Several cream pies are also available, including chocolate cream and cherry cream, as well as such meringue favorites as coconut and lemon. Decision-making does indeed become a torturous challenge. It’s no wonder that folks end up toting multiple choices to their awaiting vehicles.
Whether you feel overextended by the guest list, overwhelmed by the menu or you’re simply baking challenged, focus on the turkey, the sides and the table settings. From traditional pumpkin and autumnal cranberry pear to timeless apple crisp and sublime chocolate cream, Briermere’s got dessert covered.
Because heavy orders are expected for the Thanksgiving holiday, Briermere recommends calling ahead with your order to ensure the pies that you desire. You can contact Briermere by telephone at 631-722-3931. Advance orders are being accepted through November 22, 2013. Briermere is open daily through the fall season from 9am until 5pm. Visit their website at www.briermere.com for hours of operation during Thanksgiving week, directions to the farm and a complete list of their pies.