Bush’s Bean Cafe manager Angie Jenkins told us how good the Bush's Pinto Bean Pie was and she was right. (Penny Vaught Photo)
Never ever did I think a trip to the Bush’s Bean Visitor Center in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee — about 30 minutes from Pigeon Forge — could be such an entertaining and informative three hours — but it was.
I’ve been coming to the Great Smoky Mountains for years but had never made the trip to Bush’s Beans until Thursday. Not only was it a scenic, colorful drive, but it surpassed my expectations in every way.
First, the cafe was amazing. The menu obviously had a lot of choices that included Bush’s Beans. We went with the chili and grilled cheese combo with a side of onion rings. The chili was unbelievable and thick like I prefer.
Thursday each customer got a sample of the soon to be available sugar-free Bush’s Beans. The taste and flavor were both great and they apparently will be in stores in January.
Cafe manager Angie Jenkins, a huge Tennessee fan, checked on us several times and we got to talking sports and travel writing. But the best question I asked her was about the Bush’s Pinto Bean Pie I read about. Now I love pinto beans, but in a pie? I just was not sure about it.
Jenkins told me she once felt the same way until she was “forced” to try it. Guess what? She brought us both the regular pinto pie and the chocolate pinto pie. Both were UNBELIEVABLE just like she promised. She said it was actually an old Bush family recipe and the cafe staff tinkered with the chocolate to find the right formula to also add that to the menu.
It was actually impossible to tell you were eating beans in the pie. I cannot wait to be back to Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg to get back to the cafe.
The good news is you can go to Bushbeans.com/recipes and get not only the pinto pie recipe but a lot, lot more.
The cafe is open April through December from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and January-March from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Always check the website for holiday hours or call 865-509-3077 for more information.
