Krystal Mack
BLK//SUGAR, Baltimore
blksugar.co“People say pie is a very American thing. And what is
America?” asks Krystal Mack. Her answer comes in the
form of a pie, influenced by the community around her.
here’s ube (purple yam) from the Filipino-Americans who
make up a vital part of Baltimore’s culture, as do the
Taiwanese and Southeast Asian residents from whom she
learned about the five-spice and coconut in the mix. A
dab of toasted marshmallow brings in the fun, quirky
Americana of a black hanksgiving, Mack says. “his pie
represents true cultural exchange—which can be really
beautiful when it’s done the right way,” she says. If you spot
her pies at a neighborhood store, it means that place’s
practices uphold her values, whether through supporting
survivors of sexual assault, the DACA community, or local
Maryland farmers.