Please don’t tell anyone. But the truth is, I’m not a huge fan of pie. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I won’t eat it, but given the choice I’ll take ice cream or a handful of M&Ms. Even — if we’re being really honest here — a cupcake.

But after last weekend, I love pie.

The idea to throw a pie social in downtown Phoenix was born across town in Tempe, literally in the middle of the street. One day last spring, my dear friend Cindy Dach and I had just spent an entire lunch trying to figure out what sort of food event we could throw together. I’d been given a mandate at New Times to come up with some community events for our food blog, Chow Bella, to co-host. Cindy basically runs this town (between managing the indie bookstore, Changing Hands, and helping to run the group that makes First Friday art walks — and much more — happen downtown) so it was a no-brainer.

But that day we’d wracked our brains, and nothing. Walking back from lunch (okay, yes, we jaywalked) I stopped in the middle of McClintock Road and said, “Pie.”

If Cindy was involved, it had to be pie. She’d proclaimed it the new cupcake months (years?) before and had begun showing up at dinner parties with these amazing pies she’d baked from scratch.

And so we had a pie social. I really can’t take any credit for it beyond that — Cindy masterminded the thing the way only she can, modeling Pie Social after a successful event that’s gone on for years in Brooklyn, and making it Phoenix’s own. It wasn’t easy. I did a lot of the marketing, which isn’t something I know how to do, and even at the last minute we were worried about permitting with the county. After all, we were asking hundreds of people to make pies in their kitchens and share them. That’s not very 2010, when it comes to health regulations.

But the whole thing went off without a hitch (okay, we were short a few knives, and one of the “celebrity” pie chefs we brought in got a little snobby) and in the end, literally hundreds of people gathered to eat pie on a sunny November afternoon.

Some of my favorite people in the world were there, including my dear friend Estelle, who is very wise.

She pulled me aside and said, “Look at what you did! Look at what you created! You came up with an idea, and all these people came and they are enjoying!”

I quickly pointed out that it was Cindy’s idea, not mine, but still, what Estelle said warmed my heart. As I look back over 2010, I realize I haven’t been so creative, not it the way that typically warms my heart. I haven’t written a single story for New Times, I’ve even fallen behind on Girl in a Party Hat. I’ve been too busy running events, managing pay sheets, editing food blog posts and cursing that new four-letter word in the journalism world, BLOG. (Not the same in my work world as it is here, not by a long shot.)

But Estelle was right. There are all different ways of creating, if you open your mind to the notion. I got misty, watching people line up with their pies. Even Cindy (far more stoic than I) admitted she almost got teary, looking at the slideshow after the event, and she’s already started talking about dates for next year. And we got a chuckle out of the pie story in the New York Times this week.

Maybe next year Cindy will have time to bake, on top of everything else. Since I, unlike Cindy, have no qualms about cheating when it comes to pie, I short-cutted for the Pie Social. Here’s the recipe for my salted peanut caramel pie. I’m not sure how it went over with the masses, but I didn’t think it was bad for a novice effort. Maybe I’ll even make one for Thanksgiving.

Salted Peaunt Caramel Pie

Thoroughly thaw 1 box of Trader Joe’s pre-made pie crust. (Overnight in the fridge and then some; I had to put mine in the microwave for 30 seconds.)

Ingredients:

50 individually wrapped caramels (that’s the hardest part, unwrapping them!); 1/4 cup water ; 1/4 cup butter ; 3 large eggs; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup salted peanuts (or chopped pecans if you’re more traditional).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Microwave the caramel candies, water and butter at 30 second intervals til well-melted.
3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat well.
4. Stir into the caramel mixture gradually; mix well. Add nuts then pour into unbaked pie shells. (I had enough caramel for two pies, though the recipe this is modified from said I’d just be able to make one.) Bake for 45 minutes.