Best L.A. bakeries to order pies from for Thanksgiving
Pinch & Punch is the microbakery venture from Cathy Asapahu, one of the sisters behind Westchester’s family-owned Ayara Thai. A former pastry chef at Michelin-starred Providence, Asapahu has a knack for balancing sweetness with salty, acidic, spicy and even umami elements to create unexpected flavor combinations. This year, she’s bringing an Asian-inspired twist to your holiday desserts with pandan coconut pie ($78), layered with young coconut, pandan custard and salted coconut whipped ganache; five-spice apple pie ($88), featuring Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, cloves and Sichuan peppercorns; and banoffee chocolate pie ($98), a decadent combo of fresh bananas, Thai chocolate ganache, fish sauce dulce de leche and whipped cream in a black cocoa crust. Preorder online by Nov. 22 at 11:59 p.m. for pickup at Ayara Thai on Nov. 21, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., or Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.