Why is it so hard to make the first slice of pie look nice? No matter how cleanly you cut it, no matter how slowly and carefully you lift it from the pan, it always turns into a crumbly, sloppy mess. While all of your guests are eating perfectly tidy triangular slices, you're left with a lumpy pie blob. It's time to stop being a martyr and start enjoying the pie you deserve. Here are three fool-proof techniques that will set you up for success.

Let It Cool Fully

Yes, a pie cooling on the windowsill looks darling, but there's a more practical reason for letting it come to room temperature before cutting into it: The filling will continue to congeal and firm up as it cools. Custards become thicker and fruit fillings become less runny—this all adds up to pie that holds its shape on the brief-but-perilous ride from the pan to the plate.

Patience will be rewarded with apple pie. Photo: Alex Lau Alex Lau

Use the Right Tools

Yes, the pie server matters. "You need one that’s offset quite a bit, so you actually get underneath the bottom crust—which the first piece is usually missing," says Claire Saffitz, senior associate food editor. A heavy metal server will perform better than a flimsy plastic one, and ridged or serrated edges will gently slough away any errant filling that tries to attach itself along for the ride. Don't even try to use the same knife that you used to cut into it.

Start Small

Finally, just embrace the inevitable: That first slice is going to be messed up, no matter what you do. So make the smallest mess possible. Says Erin Patinkin, co-owner of Ovenly bakery in Brooklyn, "What we do is cut a really tiny sliver first, remove it from the pan, and go on cutting." You'll have cleared the space to tuck your server underneath the second, normal-sized piece. And, says Patinkin, "It's also a great way to have a taste before anyone else gets at the pie."

And you'll want to know how to make a lattice-top crust, too.