Marionberry Cream Cheese Tart
Many years ago my husband and I worked together at Geppetto’s restaurant to help pay our way through Southern Oregon University. Emile was an experienced line cook and I worked a variety of positions including host, prep cook and baker. One of the people that we worked with there was Mark. He was a line cook but he also waited tables occasionally.
One of my fondest memories from that time occurred during the period when I was pregnant with my daughter. During my second trimester I always seemed to be hungry. But not for just anything – I craved protein. At school each day I ate a tuna salad sandwich and drank a quart of milk for lunch. After school I would walk to Geppetto’s (on the days that I worked) and by the time I got there I was ravenous. When Mark was cooking on the line, he would make me a breakfast sandwich almost as soon as he saw me come in. I really appreciated that. It was amazing how much food I consumed!
Yet even though Mark helped to keep me fed, he also teased me mercilessly about my expanding belly. Finally one day I brought in a tape measure to compare our waist sizes. Lo and behold, when we put the tape around our waists, they measured within an inch of each other… and Mark was not expecting. He quit teasing me after that.
I knew that surprising Mark would be difficult and so I called him to tell him that I wanted to bring him a pie. It was then that he told me that his Mom, Betty, might be a better pie recipient because she would enjoy sharing it with her friends. And so today I brought a Cream Cheese Tart topped with Marionberries for Betty… but once Mark saw it, he said that he just might want to taste it before she took it home. And that my dear is a compliment… from my good friend Mark (aka Badger).
The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you’ve had. ~Author Unknown
Pie a Day Give Away 
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