Sweet selling The American Pie Council suggests the following ways to give pie sales a lift:

•Teach pie making. Stage classes, demonstrations, and samplings at stores. Invite knowledgeable seniors to teach classes.

•Hold a pie-making contest. Invite the best bakers in town to compete for prizes in various categories. Be sure to include the kids. Ask cooking teachers, pastry chefs, and pie lovers to be judges. (The American Pie Council will provide the judging sheets.)

•Supply the products, or do the hosting duties, for a charity pie-throwing or -eating contest, or even a pie auction. Donate the proceeds to your local community food bank.

•Stage kids' activities. Have kids compete in baking, poetry, and art contests relating to pie. Show them how to make and serve the dessert, preferably a la mode. Teach American and world history, math, and science using pie.

•Pass along memories. Our pie heritage is slowly fading away. Ask your in-store bakery associates to ask older family members for recipes, then feature the finished products in a special bakery promotion.