A local baker in Westport Island, Maine has crowds flocking

THE BEST KEY LIME PIE EVER. NICOLE: ON THE WAY OUT OF WISCONSIN — WISCASSET WE COULD NOT BE HELPED BUT DRAWN IN BY THE SIGN, THE MARK OF A SWEET SENSATION. >> WE HAVE MIXED BERRY. THIS IS VERY POPULAR, BLUEBERRY PEACH. NICOLE: HERE WE FOUND DAPHNE CROMWELL SERVING UP WHAT MANY SAY ARE THE BEST TREATS IN WEST PORT ISLAND. FROM HER TINY HOME BAKERY, DESSERTS BY DAPHNE. >> LEMON SQUARES, WILL BE PIES, PIES AND WE PUT THE SIGN UP AND PEOPLE STOP. NICOLE: NO CULINARY DEGREE. >> I HAVE WATCHED PEOPLE ON TV AND PICKED UP THINGS. MADE UP RECIPES. NICOLE: JUST THE RIGHT MIX AND A SUGGESTION FROM HER THEN AT THREE YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER, HARPER. >> SHE SAID SHE WANTED TO HAVE A PIES SALE SO WE WENT OUT IN THE GARAGE AND WE GOT A BOARD AND WE WROTE PIES ON IT. WE MADE A COUPLE PIES AND WE HAD IT IN THE HOUSE. SOMEONE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND POP ONE — BOUGHT ONE AND SHE THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT. OH NO, WHAT IF I GOT MYSELF INTO. IT HAS NEVER STOPPED. NICOLE: CROMWELL LIVES AMID GRAHAM CRACKERS AND CRISCO, A PILE OF CRISCO OVER HERE. YOU SAID WILL BE PIES TAKE A LOT? >> THEY DO. NICOLE: SHE MAKES MORE THAN 12 DOZEN A WEEK FOR PLACES LIKE THE FAMOUS RED SEATS IN WISCASSET. IN HER KEY LIME PIE GAINED STATEWIDE ATTENTION AFTER A JOURNALIST HAPPENED UPON THE TANTALIZING TARGET. >> SHE IS A WRITER AND SHE DID IN ARTICLE FOUR EDIBLE MAGAZINE ABOUT IT. HER HUSBAND IS A CONNOISSEUR I BELIEVE. HE SAID IT WAS THE BEST KEY LIME PIE HE EVER HAD. NICOLE: CROMWELL’S MARKETING DEPARTMENT CONSISTS OF THESE HAND-PAINTED WOODEN PALLETS. >> THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE LOOK FOR. >> WHEN THERE’S NO SIGN, I HAVE NO PIE. NICOLE: THEY SEEM INTENT ON MAKING SURE THAT THE SIGN IS ACCURATE. >> ONE DAY YOU CAME HOME AND SOMEONE WAS IN THE HOUSE LOOKING FOR A PIE. NO ONE WAS HOME, THEY JUST WALKED IN LOOKING FOR A PIE. NICOLE: WE DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. SECURITY COMES BY WAY OF THE RELIABLE ROLLING IN. CROMWELL’S KITCHEN STAFF OF ONE, SHE HAS TO GET CREATIVE TO REMEMBER WHAT IS UNDER THE SUGARCOATED CRUST. >> EACH PIE HAS ITS OWN CODE. THE PEACH RASPBERRY PIE HAS TWO HOLES IN IT. PEACH AND BLUEBERRY PIE HAS THREE HOLES. NICOLE: WHAT KEEPS THEM COMING BACK FOR PICTURES AND PIE? >> LOVE. LOVE. PEOPLE ASKED ME IF I USE ICE CUBES IN MY WATER FOR MY PIE. I DON’T, IT’S JUST REAL SIMPLE. I ROLL IT OUT AND DO IT. I JUST LOVE DOING WHAT I DO. NICOLE: THAT IS A LOT OF LOVE. >> DAPHNE SAYS THANKFULLY, THERE HAVE BEEN NO MORE PASTRY PIRATES IN HER KITCHEN SINCE THAT INTERLOPER A WHILE BACK. IN ADDITION TO REDS EATS SHE WORKS FOR RESTAURANTS AND HER GRANDDAUGHTER, HARPER HAS MOVED ON FROM PIE TO CUPCAKE SALES. THAT IS CHRONICLE FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, EVERYONE TO DIME ANTHONY EVERETT. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. WE WILL SEE YOU BACK TOMORROW EVENING.

A local baker in Westport Island, Maine has crowds flocking to sample her desserts

Daphne Cromwell of Dzerts By Daphne makes what one writer call “the best key lime pie — ever”

Updated: 8:30 PM EDT Jul 18, 2022

D-Zerts by Daphne offers homemade pies, cakes, cupcakes, whoopie pies and cookies — all baked from scratch with recipes developed by Daphne Cromwell at her home in Westport Island, Maine. Daphne was inspired by her then-3-year-old granddaughter, who wanted to have a pie sale. The pies have been flying off Daphne’s shelves ever since.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

D-Zerts by Daphne offers homemade pies, cakes, cupcakes, whoopie pies and cookies — all baked from scratch with recipes developed by Daphne Cromwell at her home in Westport Island, Maine. Daphne was inspired by her then-3-year-old granddaughter, who wanted to have a pie sale. The pies have been flying off Daphne’s shelves ever since.