The first Thanksgiving pie that Lauren Ko made was a disaster.

She watched her in-laws politely chew through an undercooked, runny marionberry pie. “I was mortified,” she said over the phone while riding the bus to her full-time job as an executive assistant at Seattle Colleges.

The West Seattleite behind these perfect pies is no pro.

She bakes for fun on the weekends, inspired by pictures and recipes other bakers post online (she recommends following Jo Harrington and Julie Jones).

The Thanksgiving incident turned her off baking for a while, but this summer, when fresh produce was abundant, she tried again.