A wise man once said, "Show me someone who doesn't like pie, and I'll show you someone with broken taste buds."Well, that's actually not true; I made that up just now. But it may as well be a maxim, because pie is one of the simplest desserts to make and without a doubt the most satisfying to eat.

And because preparing one is as easy as, well, you know-there are loads upon loads of recipes online. Just search for "pie recipe" on Google. You'll find all sorts of crusts (like pastry- or cookie-based) and fillings (various fruits, meringues or even meats).

Yet while it's so simple to purchase a pre-made pie from the supermarket-Hannaford has both fresh and frozen-there's so much more satisfaction to be gained when the dessert is homemade, because only then can you know exactly how much love is baked in with it.

Even for those without their own kitchens, there are many ways to make pie that there's bound to be one method that fits your means. Crusts can be made or bought, fillings can be simmered or microwaved or frozen, and the entire pie can be baked or refrigerated.

The basic needs for making any pie-other than the ingredients, of course-are an oven, a refrigerator or freezer, a microwave, a pie mold (or even disposable tin), a saucepan and a couple of bowls (it's helpful if they're microwave-safe). You won't need all of these for every recipe, so just mix and match!

So, let's make a pie.

My favorite type of crust is made from graham crackers. First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees; it should stay at that temperature for the filling as well.

You know how graham crackers come packaged in a few plastic bags within each box? Take one of those and empty the crackers into a sizable Ziploc bag. Then bash the hell out of it-crush them real good.

Meanwhile, melt one stick of butter (or margarine) and pour in two cups of sugar. Combine the crumbs with the mixture, and line the bottom and sides of a pie dish with it setting aside a handful or so for the top. Be sure to spread the crust evenly and relatively thinly. Bake it for eight minutes.

While the crust is baking, mix corn starch and another cup of sugar in a large bowl, and then toss in the frozen fruit. Mix some berries around so that they're all coated in sugar, then let them thaw for about 20 minutes.

By then, the crust should be out and cooled. Pile in the berries, and don't overflow the crust! Then load on the leftover graham cracker mixture, spreading it over as much of the top as you can. Don't worry if it doesn't cover completely.

Then, stick it back in the over for another 30 to 50 minutes, depending on how brown you want the pie to be. Take it out and let it cool for about five or 10 minutes. Serve (Oe la mode?) and enjoy.

Now, if there's one lesson I can impart to you, it's to make sure you have enough of the ingredients. I was planning on making a mixed-berry pie in a graham cracker crust, but because I didn't have enough granulated sugar and had to resort to using some powdered sugar, it came out as more of a mixed-berry cobbler. And while it was more than a little scrumptious, I can only wonder what might have been.