A pie plan, sorted early

Thanksgiving lands on Thursday, Nov. 26 this year. That makes mid-November the stretch when the holiday menu turns from a vague idea into an actual shopping list, and when the question of who's handling dessert starts to feel urgent. If pie is the part of the meal you'd happily hand off to a professional, there's a local option sitting right on the city's own calendar.

The City of Centennial Events Directory lists a Thanksgiving Pie Pre Order with Mile High Pie Company, hosted at Curate A Local Mercantile, 8242 S University Blvd. #150, Centennial, CO 80122.

What the listing tells us

According to the city's listing, Mile High Pies are made in Denver and handcrafted in small batches with an all-butter crust. That's a short pitch, but it hits the details pie people care about. An all-butter crust is the classic choice for flavor and flaky layers, and it takes some patience to get right, which is exactly why plenty of home cooks are glad to leave it to someone who bakes pies for a living. Small batches suggest pies made with attention rather than churned out by the thousand.

The directory shows this pre-order on more than one date. The listing notes seven more dates beyond the first, so there's more than a single make-or-break day to get your order sorted.

Why ordering ahead makes sense

Thanksgiving cooking is mostly a puzzle of oven space and timing. The turkey wants the oven for hours, the sides want it right after, and pies traditionally need their own block of baking and cooling time. Taking pie off the list frees up both the oven and the cook. It also gives hosts one dish they know is handled, which is no small thing when the guest count keeps creeping upward.

There's a neighborly angle, too. Ordering from a Colorado maker through a local mercantile keeps holiday dollars close to home, and picking up at a shop on South University Boulevard is an easy errand for much of Centennial.

One for the four-legged guests

The same city directory page also lists Puppy Crumbs Bakery's Thanksgiving Holiday Feast at Curate. It's a dog-focused item rather than something for the dinner table, but it's a fun reminder that the holiday spread doesn't have to stop at the humans.

Before you head over

Each date on the city's calendar has its own entry, so the Events Directory listing is the place to see which date fits your week before you make the trip to Curate.

Whatever your family's must-have pie happens to be, getting the order in early means one less thing to juggle when the big day arrives. Save the crust-crimping energy for the gravy.