Debbie Kandrach's Deep South Hand Pies
It’s a good thing Debbie Kandrach wasn’t too good at making pies with her mom because that’s when her “award winning” hand pies came about. Growing up in Cleveland, Debbie’s mom was an amazing cook and baker. Debbie asked her to show her how to bake and “it didn’t go too well. That’s when I started tinkering around with the hand pies,” said Debbie. They didn’t have to be sliced, were portable and were significantly easier to make. So Debbie perfected them. Fast forward some years, and Debbie and husband Chip are the owners of Deep South Hand Pies.
Chip’s job in the music business brought them to Nashville 29 years ago. But many jobs later, they’re putting their heart and soul into the hand pie business. And that’s a good thing for Nashvillians. Their pies are baked and not fried, making them healthier too. Debbie has spent many years tinkering with the recipes and is constantly coming up with new ones. You can find their hand pies at the Richland Park Farmers Market every Saturday from 8 til 1p.m. You can also find them at Green Door Gourmet, Produce Place and Three Brothers Coffee.
Here is the recipe for her strawberry hand pies which took home first place in the Third Annual Pie contest at the East Nashville Farmers Market last July. In fact, she took three ribbons home. Her short, flaky crust is near perfection in both her savory hand pies and her sweet pies.
Update: Debbie opened a "bricks and mortar" bakery in 2020. It's located in Dickson, TN at 1829 Hwy. 46 Dickson, TN: Chappell’s Shopping Center on Pomona Rd. You can order her pies at Deepsouthpies.com