Jennifer Diaz and her 1948 delivery truck.: Paul Galvani photo
Jennifer Diaz has a sweet tooth and loves to bake. Thank goodness she is sharing her love with the rest of us. As the owner of Porch Swing Desserts, Diaz bakes miniature pies (about 4 inches in diameter) daily.

The first pie I tried was Banana Pudding. Diaz soaks vanilla wafers in caramelized Bananas Foster sauce to soften them and impart a deep banana flavor. The wafers are topped with homemade vanilla pudding and then a bit of meringue for good measure.
Next up: Strawberry Pie.

“Everything tastes better with Crisco,” Diaz said when asked about the flaky, handmade crust. “I use strawberries from a local farm — Froberg’s — in Alvin.” Part of the food-truck culture is using local ingredients, and Diaz certainly tries to embody this philosophy.


Strawberry pie is mini perfection.: Paul Galvani photo
A dollop of whipped cream on top of the strawberries was enough to set my heart aflutter. Oh, the pleasures of eating real, simple, old-fashioned homemade pies.

Diaz calls her Lemon Meringue Pie a “labor of love” because she hand squeezes the organic lemons, and she must stir the egg custard filling constantly for 25 minutes. The custard is creamy, with a strong lemon flavor, but it has just enough sugar to combat any hint of tartness.

Other flavors in Diaz’s repertoire include a simple Chocolate Ice Box pie, Peach, Pumpkin, Southern Pecan and Apple Crumb.
Another note about Porch Swing Desserts: It’s the “oldest” food truck in Houston. Diaz works out of a 1948 International Harvester Metro delivery truck that her father, a professional auto restorer, found in East Texas.

Catch up with Porch Swing Desserts on Facebook or by calling 713-429-1338.

Paul Galvani is the author of the upcoming guide Houston's Top 100 Food Trucks.