While still unofficial, Nisland residents may be the top connoisseurs of pie in South Dakota. The city has two pie days, which is cause enough for celebrating.

Since the Nisland Arpan Fire and Rescue Auxiliary formed nearly four years ago, these talented pie bakers have created hundreds of pies, as well as a solid reputation as community benefactors.

For the last two springs, the auxiliary has set up its booth at the Newell-Vale-Nisland Paletteers Art Show in the Nisland Lions Club. There, the nine auxiliary members, with the help of fellow crafters, have brought dozens of pies to sell by the piece or the entire pie.

Rhonda Vallery of Nisland said the spring pie day done in conjunction with the art show earned rave reviews from customers and organizers.

"They asked us back this year because it was so successful. So we said, 'Yes, of course,'" Vallery said.

This spring, the auxiliary earned $280 for its pies. The money supports the local volunteer fire department to buy fire equipment, children's educational materials about fire prevention and paint for the fire hall. The money also helps provide food and coffee for firefighters on the job.

"As an auxiliary, we wanted to support them and our community," Vallery said.

Generally after a fire, the auxiliary members meet the tired men and women at the hall with plates of sandwiches, cookies and coffee. But these women knew that they could do more.

"We came up with the idea of selling pies at the Nisland fair. It was a huge success," she said.

With a goal of selling 100 pies at the second Nisland Pie Day, at this summer's Butte-Lawrence County Fair, Melodie Lewis of Newell, an auxiliary member, will bake her share of her specialty pies: blueberry and raspberry. "It's our biggest sale of the year," she said.

Lewis said it helps to use fresh ingredients, especially when making fruit pies, and to be patient. "You can taste the difference," she said.

A Missouri native, she started making pies at age 13 while working in a small-town restaurant owned by Herman and Mary Jo Lowery.

"I did everything except pay the bills," she said.

For her dedication, they taught Lewis their pie-making secrets and also how to cut a pie into seven perfect pieces. Soon the delicious outcome offset the work-intensive labor poured into each pie plate. "Pie is the easiest thing for me to do. It makes me feel good and I enjoy making pie," she said.

However, she doesn't make it that often, "because I end up eating it," she said. "My husband (Tom) loves pie. His favorite is rhubarb."

She enjoys the summer fruits found in farmers markets or growing wild in thickets, creek banks or fields. While she's adamant about what goes into the filling, she's forgiving about the crust that surrounds it.

"I used to make my own crust, but now I buy it. It reduces the time needed to make the filling," Lewis said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.

If you go

What: Nisland Pie Day, hosted by the Nisland Arpan Fire and Rescue Auxiliary

When: 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14

Where: Butte-Lawrence County Fairgrounds tent by the sale ring

Melodie Lewis contributed her seasonally luscious pie recipes for summer as well as a pastry crust recipe that features vinegar.

Never Fail Crust

3 cups flour

1-1/4 cups shortening or 1 cup lard

1 egg

1 teaspoons salt

4 or 5 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon vinegar

Mix dry ingredients of flour and salt. Cut in shortening. Then beat egg, water and vinegar together and then add to dry ingredients. Let stand 10 minutes. Yield: 2 bottom crusts and 2 top crusts

Fresh Raspberry Pie

Mix together in saucepan:

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 cup raspberries

Cook over low heat until thick.

Add 3 cups raspberries and 1 tablespoon butter just before serving and pour into baked 9-inch pie shell. Add whipped cream on top.

Deep Dish Rhubarb Pie

In a large bowl mix together:

6 cups rhubarb (fresh or frozen)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

Pour into unbaked pie shell.

Then cover with another crust on top. Using a sharp knife, cut slits in the top crust for venting.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour. Make sure the top crust has baked thoroughly in the middle. Serve with ice cream.

Rhonda Vallery offers her legendary pie favorites that may inspire a few new summer baking traditions in your home.

Pecan Pie

Pastry for single-crust pie

3 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

Dash of salt

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 cup pecan halves

Prepare and roll out pastry. Line a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Flute edge; do not pinch pastry.

For filling: In a mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly with fork. Add sugar and salt, stirring until dissolved. Stir in dark corn syrup and melted butter or margarine; mix well. Stir in pecan halves. Place pie shell on oven rack, pour filling into the pastry-lined pie plate. To prevent over browning of pie crust, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in 350-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake about 25 minutes more or until knife inserted off center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly on rack before serving. Cover. Chill to store.

Fresh Blueberry Pie

Pastry for double-crust pie

5 cups fresh blueberries or 1 (20-ounce) package frozen unsweetened blueberries, thawed

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Dash of salt

1 tablespoon butter

Prepare and roll out pastry. Line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the pastry; trim pastry to edge of pie plate. Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine blueberries, sugar, flour and a dash of salt. Turn blueberry mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot blueberry filling with butter. Cut slits in top crust, place atop filling. Seal and flute edge.

To prevent over-browning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in 375-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until crust is golden. Cool pie on rack before serving.

Note: If using frozen blueberries, increase the all-purpose flour to 1/3 cup.