Banana-flavored Hubig's pies are finally making their comeback in New Orleans, rolling back onto shelves for a limited run after a 14-year disappearance. The return is getting the full hometown treatment, with a free release party at Tipitina's on Saturday night and retail distribution across the New Orleans area starting Monday.
Free Tastes And Live Tunes At Tipitina's
Tipitina's is throwing the official launch party and handing out free samples to mark the revival. Doors open at 7 p.m., with music from Big Chief Juan Pardo & the Golden Comanche and Dave Jordan & the NIA kicking off at 8 p.m., according to Tipitina's. Admission is free, the show is listed as 18 and up, and full ticketing and event details are posted on Tipitina's calendar page.
What The New Banana Tastes Like
Food writer Ian McNulty, who scored an early bite for NOLA.com, called the new banana pie “tropical, mellow-sweet extra-creamy banana pudding in fried and iced crust.” His tasting notes also include a pro tip: stash one in the freezer for about two hours so the filling firms up into something close to ice cream. McNulty's write-up compares the banana flavor to Hubig's other seasonal releases and breaks down how it holds its own in the lineup.
Team Heat Or Team Chill
Hubig's veterans will tell you there are two main camps when it comes to eating these pies. Longtime fans, along with the packaging itself, recommend a quick spin in the microwave, around 25 seconds, to warm the crust and loosen the filling, a detail noted by reviewers and travel-food writers. That 25-second hack shows up as a long-running insider tip in a feature on the brand from Wildsam, which highlights it as a simple way to get peak texture from the hand pie.
Where To Hunt Them Down
The banana pies are slated to hit New Orleans-area shelves beginning July 27, according to NOLA.com, and the flavor is expected to be a limited run. For stock alerts and flavor-release updates, Hubig's is steering fans to sign up for PieMail and check the where-to-buy listings on Hubig's.
Whether you are in the warm-and-gooey camp or the freeze-it-like-ice-cream camp, this banana Hubig's drop is a short-lived return to the city's snack canon, with availability likely tight during the early rollout.
