(FORTUNE Magazine) – The best dessert in the U.S. is the Swedish apple pie at Crabtree's Kitchen in Copas, Minn. Light. Creamy. Perfect in every way. I gave Crabtree's a call. "Sorry, we no longer sell food for people," they said. "Only for birds, dogs, and horses." Fortunately, the nation is rich in pies.

BLUEBERRY There's no such thing as bad blueberry pie, but perhaps the best is at Ceres Bakery in Portsmouth, N.H. It accounts for many a potbelly north of Boston. The crust is from a recipe handed down to one of the bakers' mothers; unlike most crusts, it's made with egg.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER At the Zider Zee diner in Holland, N.Y.--only open until 2 P.M.--the chocolate-peanut butter pie is so rich that it could be declared a health risk by the American Heart Association.

OLLALIE, BANBERRY There are as many as two dozen pies in the racks at Polly's Pies Bakery, the assortment changing seasonally. For just three weeks in June they offer ollalie pie, a mix of loganberry and boysenberry. Winter brings banberry: banana cream topped with strawberries.

KEY LIME I was so desperate for key lime pie that I had one shipped from Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach. The graham-cracker crust was crisp; the lime filling had that special zest. A pie to die for--and if you eat too much, well....

--David Shribman