Pie FAQs

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When did the business begin? 

The business officially began in October 2021, just in time for the holiday season. But Aunt Tel has been making this pie for 25+ years. 

 

What is the official company name?

Southern Sweet Potato Pies, LLC (dba Aunt Tel's PREMIUM Sweet Potato Pie)

 

Are there any nuts in the pies?

There are no nuts of any kind in the pies with one exception. The bourbon buttered pecan sweet potato pie, available from October through December, contains pecans.

 

Does sweet potato pie taste like pumpkin pie?

Sweet potato pie, at least the way Aunt Tel makes it, has a completely different flavor profile from pumpkin pie and tastes nothing like pumpkin pie.

 

Do the pies contain cinnamon?

Aunt Tel's pies contain no cinnamon, no nutmeg, no allspice, no ginger. Those things belong in a chai latte.  Most sweet potato pies are over-spiced and over-sweetened; our is not.  We are told week after week that our pie is perfectly balanced.

 

Is your pie better than a Patty (LaBelle) sweet potato pie?

You want to know how a pie containing Happy Cow Creamery butter, farm fresh local eggs, King Arthur flour, organic sweet potatoes and featuring an all-butter crust compares to a pie that's available for six dollars at Walmart? Aunt Tel pleads the Fifth (Amendment) on this one. (Miss LaBelle makes a FINE cobbler!)

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What do you use to sweeten your sugar-free pie?

We use all-natural Monk fruit blend instead of pure cane sugar. Our Monk fruit blend consists of Monk fruit and erythritol. Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol.

 

At $30, this seems like a very expensive pie. How do you justify charging that much for a pie?

We use the absolute best ingredients available with an emphasis on fresh and local/regional. Our eggs come from a Black woman veteran homesteader down the road in Williamston, SC. We drive to North Carolina or to the farm for organic sweet potatoes. We use King Arthur flour and Happy Cow Creamery butter. We pay a premium to include the ingredients we have chosen.

 

How many people will a pie serve?

Most of our restaurant partners portion the pie into eight slices. That is our serving suggestion.

 

How much fat and calories are in each pie?

Each slice of our premium original pie contains about 550 cal. We are working to provide additional nutrition information.

 

Is there much salt in the pie?

There is salt in the butter which is used in the filling and in the crust, and there's about a quarter teaspoon of added salt in the filling of each pie.

 

How do you ensure your gluten-free pie is not contaminated with flour that may still be settling in your kitchen for days after you've mixed or baked?

We don't make gluten-free crusts every week, but on the weeks that we do, we start the week by mixing the gluten-free dough on Sunday or Monday before we ever mix dough that contains wheat.  We finish all mixing on Monday and complete all baking for the week using frozen crusts by Wednesday or Thursday, so any flour has had plenty of time to settle between Thursday and Sunday.

 

Can I freeze the pie and can I refreeze the pie?

We sell our pies mostly frozen to avoid waste (frozen pies keep for six months; fresh pies for six days).  Check the date on the back of our packaging.  If you purchase a pie frozen from us that has thawed by the time you reach your destination (a few hours or even up to a day), simply place it in the freezer and allow it to refreeze until the night before you'd like to serve it.  Place it in the refrigerator at that time to thaw overnight.  It is not recommended that you leave the pie out to thaw it.

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Where else can I find this pie either whole or by the slice?

As of this writing, our pies are available at The Farmacy in Easley, Feed & Seed at Judson Mill, and Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery.  You can purchase our pie by the slice at The Lazy Goat and The Seafood Spot.  You'll be able to find our pies this season at the Earth Fare store in Greenville as well as the Greenville Harris Teeter stores!  If you can't find the pie, please ask a grocery associate for assistance.

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What hours is your shop open?

Our shop hours change with the season.  Please check the hours & location tab of our website for our current hours and days.

 

What forms of payment do you take?

We take all the things including every major credit card, debit card, Venmo, Zelle, and Cash app. As a general rule, we do not accept checks.

 

Do you offer delivery service? Do you ship? And do you cater?  

Yes, yes, and yes!

 

I am a shop owner or a restauranteur who wants to carry your pies. Do you offer wholesale? 

Yes. Our current wholesale pricing is $23 for the premium pie and $26 for all others with the exception of the bourbon buttered pecan and the V/SF/GF.

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Do I need to bake the pie when I get home? 

Each pie is fully cooked. Simply thaw and enjoy!

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What's the best way to thaw the pie?

Ideally, store frozen pie in the freezer and place in the refrigerator the night before you'd like to serve it. You may serve it cold or close to room temperature, but portion it while it's still very cold. Alternatively, for fast thawing, you may preheat your oven to 350°. Once the oven reaches that temperature, remove frozen pie from its box and place in the oven in its foil tin for no more than 15 minutes. This will thaw the pie completely without warming it.  Remove from the oven, portion, and serve.

 

Must the pie be refrigerated?

Once thawed, the pie should be kept refrigerated. In the refrigerator, the pie will last about six days; in the freezer, it will last up to six months. If you thaw the pie to serve it, you may refreeze any uneaten portion within six days. In our home, because we prefer to enjoy the pie at room temperature, we leave it on the counter for up to three days. Do with that information what you will! (If you leave your pie unrefrigerated for too long, it will become moldy and can make you ill!)  Best practice and our recommendation and DHEC's advisement is to store the pie under refrigeration at all times.  Enjoy!

 

From my kitchen to yours,

Aunt Tel