This holiday season pie lovers are clamoring for a taste of Tara Royer Steele’s sweet treats from her Royer’s Pie Haven shop in Round Top, Texas. Tara has released a new best selling cookbook – KEEP YOUR FORK, THERE’S PIE!, which beautifully combines cherished family recipes with heartfelt stories from Texas, emphasizing the tradition of sharing pie to bring people together. Tara invites everyone to “eat pie, drink coffee, and find grace.”

Tara is a baker, author, and community builder. Through Royers Pie Haven, she hosts community dinners and charitable events. Her work centers on serving food with love and purpose. This past summer, they held a pie sale with all proceeds going to the Texas flood victims. In Brenham, Texas, she’s creating something even sweeter: a community. “Monday night family dinners were essential to my mom and our family,” Tara says. “She made it a priority and always included everyone.” Now, she ensures that everyone in Brenham has a seat at the table. Tara envisions it as “a community within a community.” Through her nonprofit organization, Gather n Grace, Tara has been hosting free Monday night dinners for nearly three years. These dinners take place in the center of town, making them accessible for those without transportation. The weekly meals provide more than just food—they foster connection. “Through Monday Night Dinners, we sit with community members who’ve become family,” she says. “We listen, we celebrate joys, and we carry burdens together.” Gather n Grace is more than just a meal; it’s food with purpose, served with love.

The Royer family has been baking pies in Round Top, Texas, since 1987. Customers can conveniently order pies online, and each pie is made from scratch, just as you would experience at the Pie Haven. With nearly 40 years of Royer family hospitality, these treats are delivered straight to your door this holiday season. They offer a variety of options, including sweet, savory, gluten-free, and classic favorites. You can even gift a pie-of-the-month subscription for the ultimate delicious surprise! Prices start at $35.00.

• Ellen Renee photography