Speaking of comfort foods (soups and chowders over the past couple weeks), have you had a chicken pie from Wiscasset General Store lately? No? Okay, don't say I didn't warn you. If you're trying to lose weight, like those 57 people who signed up for the Big Money (the winner will win $5,700!) Weight Loss challenge in Boothbay Harbor, DO NOT get a chicken, or any other pie at the Wiscasset General Store.

But if you want one of the best savory or sweet pies you'll ever have, just go. Carla's crust is the flakiest I've ever had. Bar none. And she'll be the first to tell you: Flaky crust = fattening. But fattening = mind-numbingly yummy. Usually.

And guess what. You know how a lot of those frozen chicken pot pies have only a top crust? Carla's have a double crust — yup — it goes all the way around — top and bottom. Making them, of course, doubly fattening. I have found that a manhattan before eating one is helpful. It will put you in such a great mood you won’t care how fattening it is. Plus a manhattan makes everything taste even better.

The Wiscasset General Store offers other meat pies too, including beef and sea clam. Check the Facebook page to see what Carla’s cooking up on any particular day.

If you’re not up for venturing out to the Wiscasset General Store though, it’s really easy to make your own chicken pot pie. But if you’re really lazy and just want to grab a frozen one at Hannaford or Shaw’s, please don't grab a Swanson's, or even a Marie Callender’s (though I know I’ll get some flack on this one). Grab a Blake's Chicken Pot Pie. Before I had one of Carla's I thought these were the best savory pies ever, short of homemade, of course.

I've told you about Blake's pot pies before, but I know that due to either memory loss or just apathy you've probably forgotten. They’re made from scratch in small batches in Concord, New Hampshire, by the Blake family, and seriously, for like $6, just get one. It will easily feed two people. The crust is almost as flaky as Carla’s, and the ingredients, including large chunks of tender white chicken, are all natural and organic. And the gravy is heavenly.

But speaking of Swanson's chicken pot pies? I loved them when I was a kid. For one thing I got my very own private little pie. When you grow up with three siblings you don't often get your very own private anything. To have my own cute little pie in a mini foil pie pan was kind of awesome. Of course, being a pie crust lover it also meant having my own WHOLE pie crust.

Anyway, I loved those little pies. I haven't had one in years, and honestly, I don't think I can even bring myself to get one for the sake of this column. But there’s still something about having my own little pie on a plate.

Okay, so. You want to make your own chicken pot pie? It’s so simple it’s almost embarrassing to give you a recipe. It’s basically making some chicken soup and thickening it with a roux. (If you have to ask what a roux is you should probably just get a Blake’s. Or even a Swanson’s.) The pie crust is what makes the difference. If you’re like Sue Mello, you will make your own. I will buy a Pillsbury pie crust. Margaret Salt McLellan said she orders Valley View Orchard pie crusts by the case from Yellowfront Grocery, and throws them in the freezer. I’ve never had one of these, but I’m going to try it. If it’s good enough for Margaret, it’s good enough for me.

And I’m not being sarcastic (for a change).

Whether you make the pie with a top and bottom crust is up to you. Either way, if the filling is good — full of tender pieces of chicken, fresh cut up carrots, onions, peas, and whatever other veggies you like and a ridiculously flavorful gravy, and the crust is fattening and flaky — you’ll be good. Especially if you have a manhattan while you’re cooking.

See ya next week.

By the way, I’m not a chef. I lay no claim to being an authority on food or cooking. I’m a good cook, and a lover of good food. And I know how to spell and put a sentence together. This column is simply meant to be fun, and hopefully inspiring. So to anyone reading this whose hackles are raised because you know more about the subject of food than I, relax. I believe you. Email me at suzithayer@boothbayregister.com.