Renaissance "Pleasure" Faire, Berkeley, and Hand Pies

The Renaissance Faire  and Olaf's house in Berkeley were the home and birthplace of the Hand Pi(es).  The original sign with the Hand Pi logo and menu says "Hand Pies."  A "hand pie" has come to mean a small pie possibly folded or shaped. A "hand pie sandwich" is a grilled sealed shape sandwich with a toasted pattern or toasted grilled image on it.

The "Faire" had three types of 'hand pie' booths, maybe four. One was a pirogi, a baked or fried bread-dough filled 'hand pie.' Two concessions were 'hand pie sandwich' vendors. One was a "Cheeze Wiz" or classic grilled cheese, sliced tomato and fresh basil sandwich cooked in a pressed metal mold. The Brits call these round sealed sandwiches "toasties." Then there was our Hand Pi branded 'hand pies' that were made in a custom mold similar to a Toas Tite or jaffle camping grill ... all molds falling in a larger category of 'pie irons.' The fourth booth sold 'aebleskivers' or an apple filled pancake ball made with a batter on the pie iron's cousin the 'waffle iron.' My favorite waffle iron is the Korean street food 'Bung-A-Pang' fish shaped waffle maker.