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Six Places In Las Vegas To Grab A Slice Of Pie For Pi Day

Math nerds already know this, but March 14th is National Pi Day! 3.14 or 3/14… You get it? Not only is it a day that celebrates the mathematical constant, but…

Pi Day Cherry and Apple Pies - making homemade traditional various Pies with Pi sign for March 14th holiday, on white wooden background, top view.

Pi Day Cherry and Apple Pies – making homemade traditional various Pies with Pi sign for March 14th holiday, on white wooden background, top view.

Mizina via Getty Images

Math nerds already know this, but March 14th is National Pi Day! 3.14 or 3/14... You get it? Not only is it a day that celebrates the mathematical constant, but it's also a day where dessert lovers get to indulge in one of America's favorite sweet treats: pie! If you live in, or around, the Las Vegas area here are six places in Las Vegas to grab a slice of pie for Pi Day.

Du-par's Restaurant & Bakery

The slogan at Du-par's is "Always Fresh. Always the Best" and they aren't kidding! Their pies are made from scratch daily and their selection is huge! The famous local bakery can be found inside the Suncoast Hotel & Casino and offers classic diner vibes. Plus, since it's on a Boyd property, you can use your rewards points for food and beverage credits.

Freed's Bakery

Listen, if this were a ranked list, I'd put Freed's at the top! Freed's is a Las Vegas staple! They've been in town since the 50's and they're proud to be a three generational bakery in our city.

Personally, they've handled a few of my son's birthday cakes, including one that looked like a basketball! My boy loved it!

But if you're looking for a slice of pie, Freed's has them all! They specialize in all of the classic flavors like: pumpkin, pecan, apple. Try their key lime! It's amazing!

Pieology Pizzeria

Pizza pies count, right? There are a few Pieology Pizzeria locations around the valley, but I recently tried the one in Downtown Summerlin. What's cool about this place is that you're able to build your own pizza pie! However, for anyone with a sweet tooth, don't forget to try their dessert pizza. It comes with a sweet icing and cinnamon sugar.

Pinkbox Doughnuts

Pinkbox is mostly known for their doughnuts; however, pies sometimes make their way on their everchanging menu! Plus, if you want a doughnut with pie filling, look no further than Pinkbox's "Smashin' Apple."

Their menu describes it as a white frosted raised shell filled with apple pie filling and topped with streusel, whip and drizzled with caramel.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Sometimes you just need some good old fashioned homestyle comfort food! That's the main reason why I love Cracker Barrel so much! They offer a variety of pies, but my favorite is their Southern Pecan Pie.

Marie Callender's Restaurant & Bakery

And finally, you can't have a list of pie places without naming one of the largest pie chain restaurants! I go to the location off Sahara. It's by our radio station and I love that their prices haven't been affected too much by inflation. You know what you're getting when you dine at a Marie Callender's. From classic apple to indulgent cream pies, there's a reason they've been in business since 1948.

There you have it. Six places in Las Vegas to grab a slice of pie for Pi Day. Enjoy!

Foods You Should Probably Skip Air Frying

Some people can’t live without their air fryers, while others consider them to be glorified convection ovens. First things first, air fryers aren't deep fryers. Many people use them as an alternative that can have similar results, but they’re just not the same. Air fryers circulate very hot air around your food, and that heat penetrates the food, achieving crispiness without a lot of or any oi at all.

Why do some people choose not to hop on the air frying train?

Some experts have identified cancer risks related to high levels of certain chemicals found in some air fryers. Consumer Notice reported that Several models of air fryers contain polyfluorinated molecules, also known as "forever chemicals," in the nonstick coating of the basket. They also mention that scientific studies have established the health risks of exposure to high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), showing links to health problems including infertility, hormone disruption, and some types of cancer.

They do suggest purchasing an air fryer with stainless steel or glass coatings to reduce PFAS exposure.

WebMD reported that in one study air frying fish raised the amount of a substance called "cholesterol oxidation products" (COPs). COPs form when the cholesterol in meat or fish breaks down during cooking. Studies connect these substances to coronary heart disease, hardening of the arteries, cancer, and other diseases. But there is a workaround. You can lower the amount of COPs when air frying fish by adding fresh parsley, chives, or a mixture of the two. They said that these herbs act as antioxidants to reduce the COPs in air-fried foods.

Then some people may avoid air fryers altogether due to mess and buildup that’s hard to clean or get to, uneven cooking, limited food space, or the fact that there are better or more efficient ways to cook.

On the other hand, many people love air fryers because they are quick, easy to use, and use less oil than deep frying.

If an air fryer is the latest addition to your kitchen appliance lineup, you may want to skip using it with certain foods.

Large Bone-In Meat

We're not talking about chicken wings here, we're talking about large whole chickens. You're better off sticking to an oven when it comes to cooking them. If you're wondering why, chicken must be cooked to a specific temperature internally before being consumed. According to the USDA, all poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  Unfortunately, air frying this food item doesn't guarantee an even cook. But hey, at least chicken wings are small enough to get an even crisp. Just make sure you line the air fryer basket first if it's raw meat.

Chicken baked whole to a delicious crust. A traditional dish. In the background are cucumbers and cherry tomatoes on a white plate. Close-up, selective focus, gray background.

tasha_lyubina/ Getty Images

Wet Batters

An air fryer is not a deep fryer. So, if you're looking to toss battered fries, meat cutlets, or battered veggies, think again. There's a big chance the batter will drip down the base of the machine, causing a big mess and major cleanup after. Bad enough, some people didn't know you even had to clean an air fryer regularly. No really, someone on Reddit shared that they didn't wash their air fryer basket after each use. "I don’t think I’ve ever washed it lol. I’ve had it for 8 months and decided to finally wash it today," they wrote. They continued to say how there was a bunch of "solidified juices" and "fat/ grease" from steak and chicken.

Hands dipping a chicken breast fillet in beaten egg to fry it

Fabián Ponce/ Getty Images

Cheesy Foods

It's possible to make your favorite cheesy snacks in an air fryer. But it can get messy. AllRecipes cautions against air frying cheese. This isn't because of health reasons but for cleanup purposes. They point out that cheese melts fast. The outlet suggests sticking to foods that effectively hold the cheese in place. Maybe, just stick to frozen cheeses like mozzarella sticks.

grilled cheese sandwiches with apple and brie, take out style

Wirestock/ Getty Images

Leafy or Chard Greens

Sure you can go ahead and put those Brussels sprouts or broccoli in the air fryer. But skip putting spinach, collard, or chard leaves in. If you haven't tried it already, light leaves might move and shift around during the cooking process. You may also come across a fairly dry vegetable if you don't put a little oil with it. And, of course, you don't want to forget the seasonings.

Variety of green vegetables

Martin Barraud/ Getty Images

Popcorn

Some people have tried it but you probably shouldn't. Most air fryer models won't reach the required temperature to pop the kernels. According to Jolly Time Pop Corn, the best popping temperature is between 400 and 460 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, popcorn kernels can become lodged within the air fryer's heating element, which can potentially cause it to short.

Wooden rustic bowl of popcorn isolated on white background, top view. Fast food, cinema snack and entertainment concept, cutout

Prostock-Studio/ Getty Images

Pasta, Quinoa, Rice, Grains

Some grains like bread can be cooked in an air fryer. However, it can get a little tricky with lighter breads like toast and English muffins due to the air making them fly around. But anything like pasta, quinoa, and rice doesn't do too well. Raw grains need to absorb water to cook. But there is some good news. If you have rice that's already cooked, just add a little oil to reat in the air fryer.

Foods high in carbohydrate, isolated on white

egal/ Getty Images

Ransom Garcia is the music director and afternoon host on 1079 Coyote Country. He’s been with the station since 2017, but he’s been on the Las Vegas airwaves since 2003. Although he's Vegas Born AND Raised, Ransom also has on-air duties on sister station Kiss 95.1 in Charlotte, NC. He is also set to be inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame in September of 2024. Ransom writes articles about pop culture, human interests, technology, video games and anything affecting Las Vegas.