Yup! That’s right! A $100.00 Lemon Meringue Pie made by Miss Jerri! No, that’s not just the name of the pie. The first one we ever had cost me $100. And yes, you’re right, there really is more to the story. Follow me on this.

The saga begins in July of 2007 in Silver City, Idaho and the Idaho Hotel, owned and operated by Jerri and Roger Nelson. Robin and I were there for our anniversary, we usually go there for that occasion. It seems that one of the residents of Silver City had cancer. The town wanted to do something to help with the costs, so, among other things, they decided on a Silent Auction! Jerri said she would bake some pies and that she did. One was a Lemon Meringue Pie, much like the one pictured here. Light, flaky crust. Yummy sweet and tart lemon filling. Light and fluffy meringue, just lightly toasted on the top. Oh, so succulent. (The pie pictured here is a cousin of the Original Lemon Meringue Pie) I wanted that pie and I told Robin by then end of the night, it would be ours!! But first, I had to bid on it. I asked her what my top bid should be. The number was toooo low – remember this was going for a good cause. $5 was the opening bid. $10. $12. (oh, this sounded good.) What? Someone placed a $25 bid! The lady across the room did and I know her! This could be a real challenge. 10:00pm the bids close and it’s about 9:00 now. Got to plan this out. $30, she would not pay more than that. BIG mistake! $40!! I did not have more than $40 cash on me. “Jerri? Will you take a check?”. “Is it for the auction, Bob”, she queried? “Yes, Jerri, for the auction”. “Have at it, Bob”, she said. $50 bid, do I hear 60? The Lady bid 60. Now this is getting serious and it’s 9:45pm. 15 minutes. So I wrote down: $75. She walked by the table and wrote $90!!! (You see where this is going?) 9:56pm. The Lady is guarding the sheet. Someone distracted her. I wrote $100 and took the pencil and one or two more that were in reach. 9:59pm. The Lady cried, “Where’s the pencil??” Grinning, I showed it to her. And Jerri said, “The bidding is closed”! We really did laugh, somewhat, about this. I got the pie, the $100 Lemon Meringue Pie and was/is it ever good! The Lady, being the lady that she is, told Jerri that if she baked another, she would pay her $100 for the second pie. Jerri did so. I don’t remember right now the total raised but it seems to me it was a pretty tidy sum. $1200? Oh well, That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it! Cheers!