LA’s The Pie Hole co-founder Rebecca Grasley talks pies and Thanksgiving

In her new cookbook, “Pie is Messy,” she shares tips and tricks for making the best Thanksgiving pies you’ve ever made.

Rebecca “Becky” Grasley had been a lifelong pie baker who worked as a nurse in rural Pennsylvania. She had hoped to open a pie shop while raising her children, but she never imagined she’d be able to do so, let alone launch a California pie empire.

The Pie Hole has grown from its humble beginnings in Los Angeles’ Arts District to retail locations throughout Southern California, as well as franchises in Japan and Saudi Arabia. Her pies and signature “pie holes” are available on GoldBelly.com and at Whole Foods Markets across the country.

We recently spoke with this pie phenom about her story, her new cookbook “Pie is Messy” (Ten Speed Press, $28), and how to bake the perfect Thanksgiving pie. Perhaps lemon-pear or chocolate.

Why pie, you ask?

A. I grew up and still live in a small town in rural Pennsylvania. I probably reinvented myself 50 times over the years. When my children were young, we fantasized about opening a pie shop. They were small, and I enjoyed baking pies. If there was a reward, I’d say, “Well, great, let’s make a pie!” If there was something bad, like a bully or something, I’d say, “Aw, let’s make a pie!” Because there wasn’t much money for anything else, our entire reward system was pie. It brought us together.

We didn’t seriously talk (pie) again until much later in my life. In 2011, my son Matt was in Los Angeles, and I was on the East Coast. I flew out with what was left of my retirement savings after 2008, when the bottom fell out of my retirement plan.

Q. The distance between Nescopeck, Pennsylvania, and Los Angeles is considerable. How did you decide to open a pie shop in Los Angeles?

A. Everyone in the small town bakes, but because the area is depressed and incomes are lower, we needed to open a pie shop where people were more willing to spend money on a dessert or a pie — and L.A. was definitely ready for homemade pie. Those people were ecstatic to welcome us to the neighborhood, and it was a perfect fit.

Q. How did you feel about starting a pie business with your son?

A. It was terrifying. It was 2011 and the economy was still not doing well. Sean Brennan, my other partner, entered the picture not long after Matt. The “boys” discovered the location and began construction. With all of the renovations, we had a lot of hoops to jump through. It was a very hands-on project. We were pinching pennies and attempting to figure it out, and it certainly took off.

We’ve made it all the way down to San Diego and out of California. We’ve been to Gelson’s and Whole Foods. The dine-in situation never fully recovered.

Q. Please tell us about the cookbook. There are traditional family recipes as well as new flavor combinations. How does all of this make sense to you?

A. The cookbook was a five-year labor of love for which I am very proud. It’s stunning.

The shop debuted with two flavors, fresh strawberry and chocolate silk pie, as well as family recipes. (However,) we have always encouraged the chefs to use their creative minds, because they want to and are often discouraged when working in kitchens under another chef. It felt good to let someone use their creative juices and the fundamentals to create these wonderful concoctions.

We’re now known for our Earl Grey tea pie, which was inspired by “Downton Abbey.” It was the same with the Cereal Killer pie — people wanted to eat it while watching “Dexter.” I like that my family’s recipes are still on the menu, alongside those created by the chefs.

Q. What long-term goals do you have for the Pie Hole?

A. Since the pandemic, we’ve focused on the e-commerce side of the business, and we’ve perfected the process of shipping pies nationwide.

Q. Please elaborate on the cookbook title “Pie is Messy.”

I used to be awestruck by cookbooks like Martha Stewart’s, in which she was pictured and her counters were so beautiful. My counters look like an A-bomb exploded when I bake. Flour is everywhere, in dribbles and drops. When I did the shoot for this book, I discovered that the photos weren’t even taken in a kitchen — they were taken in a studio. It made me laugh because I used to think to myself, “Man, I’m so messy when I bake.” Nobody else appears to be that disorganized.” They are, however. I’m confident they are.

Q: Which of the cookbook’s Thanksgiving pie recipes is your favorite?

The pumpkin pie, of course. My grandmother Moe’s pumpkin pie is unlike any other pumpkin pie; it has a custardy filling.

Q. Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

A. I’m just extremely proud. A lot of thought went into making the cookbook usable and adaptable for people to use. Every baker puts their own spin on the recipes, so I wanted margins and paper that they could write on rather than glossy paper. I want people to enjoy making pies as much as I do, to create memories with their families, and to write in the margins.

I reflect on the memories I created with my own children, as well as the memories I continue to create with young relatives and family members. I hope everyone gets this cookbook and creates a memory.