Charlotte's Eats and Sweets

This summer's Southern Living issues have been full of useful information for people who love a good dessert. On the cover of one issue, was a picture of a fabulous Pecan Peach Cobbler that I had to make. It was a lot of work, but oh, so tasty.

In another issue (or possibly the same one?), they had a multi-page article on the "Best Pies in the South". Featured for the best coconut pie was Charlotte's Eats and Sweets in Keo. Now, there are a few things in this world of which I consider myself to be a connoisseur. One of those happens to be coconut cream pie. My late Granny made a great coconut pie. I remember one time when my uncle Kelly and I sat down with 1/2 a pie and 2 forks and finished it off directly from the pan. It was that good!

If the best coconut pie in the South was just 40 miles from my house, then I had to try it. (Yes, we drove nearly 80 miles round trip for pie!) They are only open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday, so today was our chance to give it a try. Keo is a tiny farming community east of LR, and Charlotte's is a true hole-in-the-wall. This little sign is all that would catch your attention:

Inside, it looked more like an old pharmacy or antique store than a diner/bakery. But as we were seated in the back, there were some delicious smells wafting through the air.

We ate lunch first. They had a better-than-average sandwich selection, and good sweet tea according to Jeff. Nathan and Ashley had a cheeseburger and a grilled cheese, respectively. The kids meals were served with chips, animal crackers, and "pickle pops" - baby dill pickles with popsicle sticks in them. Nathan renamed them "pickle-sicles".

After we ordered our sandwiches, the waitress asked if it was our first time to eat there. When we told her that it was, she was quick to inform us about the most important menu - the dessert board. I asked if we needed to order dessert right away, because I had read that they sometimes run out of pies. She said that they were surprisingly slow today, so it should be safe to wait. Apparently, they've had an explosion of business following the SL article.

I, of course, ordered a slice of the coconut pie to share with Ashley. Finally, someone else in my house likes coconut! Jeff and Nathan shared a slice of caramel pie. They thought their choice was a little too sweet/rich. Ours however was heavenly! Perfect crust, delicious filling, and even tasty meringue. (I'm not even a huge meringue-lover.) I have to say that it was the best coconut pie I've ever eaten. (Sorry, Granny!) I will definitely be making a trip back to Keo.

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