Nice work guys. I'll admit I haven't given this thread much thought until I had a square from L&B over the weekend. It's a great pie and one I want to start working on soon. John, you are right about the intensive mix, tight crumb, and height. Despite the thickness and apparent use of oil or shortening in the dough, the crust was light and not heavy in mouth feel or on the stomach.
Kelly and others pointed out to me that their pies are baked twice. I was told that during rush hour, pies are par baked at low temps in "holding ovens" until they are ordered, then they are transferred to the ovens where they are baked. Their ovens also have a divider in which the pan is rotated from the bottom to the upper level I believe. Probably to bake the bottom until proper browness, and then moved up top to finish off the pies. Several times, I saw guys pulling the pies out of the oven and checking the bottoms for doneness and then putting them back into the ovens.
They also had pies topped and sitting on racks next to the ovens. I wasn't sure if these pies were not baked yet or par baked. Likely unbaked and waiting to be parbaked as the oven space is free. If this is so, then the pies sort of move along an assembly line sort of speak.
Some photos from L&B.
