Some people are pie people, and some people are cake people. It took me more than a half century to realize this, when I hosted an event at the university and several students expressed that they dislike pie and much prefer cake. I was shocked — it seems clear to me that, in general, pie is better.

Some pies I like: pecan, maple pecan, chocolate pecan, cherry, apple (although it’s difficult to find done properly), key lime, peach (definitely peach), cheesecake, flan, blueberry, pizza, banofee, chess, egg tart, Mississippi mud, pasty, quiche (depends), Canadian sugar, Linzer torte, fruit tart.

Some cakes I like: Sachertorte, Bundt (sometimes), bibinka, brownie (when chewy and crispy, that is, cookie-like), carrot, flourless chocolate, funnel, German chocolate (sometimes), ice cream, Kouign-amann, moon (although mooncake is more like a pie), pineapple upside-down, mille crêpe.

Looking over this list, I like cakes when they are moist (but not all of them: not fruitcake, for example). Most significantly, I generally don’t like frosting unless it’s made of fresh, real buttercream. A thin layer of icing is fine too.

I’ll be co-hosting another interdisciplinary student event towards the end of this month and we have a planning meeting tomorrow. Last year we made halo-halo, and in previous years with the Science and Humanities Scholars I’ve had frozen custard, s’mores, and other goodies — but this time, oh this time, it’s going to be pie.