Tribute Video for Jennifer Perillo: Mikey’s Peanut Butter Pie
If you haven’t already heard the news, then hopefully this video will share it all. On Monday, our dear friend Jennifer Perillo’s husband died of a sudden heart attack. Jennie is a special force in the food community and is loved by many.
We had a gathering in our garden with friends Brooke, Jen, Gaby, Penny and Rene when we heard of the news. It was a shock to us all and were left speechless for a long moment of silence. Fortunately we were together to comfort one another in the pain.
Jennie asked that in honor of those we love, to make a Creamy Peanut Butter Pie and share it. This pie was also a favorite of her husband, Mikey. You can read it on her blog.
In full force, with fierce love and commitment, the online food community banded together as one family to celebrate Mikey and everyone dear to us. Under the twitter hashtag #APieforMikey , a beautiful explosion of peanut butter pies came pouring out of all our hearts to be shared with our loved ones.
We were devastated at the news of Mikey’s passing. To heal and share in our grief with Jennifer’s family and the whole online food blogging community, we made a pie in honor of Mikey.
To also celebrate our friend Jennifer, her strength, courage and love, we’re giving her a gift in the best way that we know how: by video.
Thank you to all of you, the food community and those who poured in to share your thoughts to share on this video. It was impossible to add all the thoughts that came pouring in, but know that we appreciate all of you who sent them in.
We asked close friends of Jennie to contribute thoughts and we also searched the hashtag #APieForMikey and found some wonderful sentiments to Jennifer. Those were added to the video. Special thank you to Kim Severson for sending us this amazing image for inspiration in the video.
Jennie, this is for you, our friend and sister, from all of us in the food community. You are loved. Deeply.
And most importantly, this pie and everything it symbolizes is for Mikey.
holding you all close,
diane and todd




Absolutely beautiful work…you’re amazing.
Gorgeous and perfect. I cried for them when I heard the news, when I watched the video of him dancing with his daughter, and now again. What a wonderful gift you’ve given them.
Such a beautiful tribute.
Beautiful.
Oh Jennifer- I just cried my eyes out. What a beautiful gift.
I am amazed by that wonderful video. I get emails and RSS feeds from a lot of you since cooking is my passion. I am amazed at your compassion and love for each other. I hope that Jennie draws strength from all of you. Such a loss she and the girls have suffered. The video of Mikey dancing with his daughter is another touching tribute.
thank you for this beautiful film.
As a newbie to the food community I am awed and inspired but the overwhelming support and love here. I, like a A LOT of others made a peanut butter pie and shared it with my family on Friday. This video is a story, not just about the making of a pie but about how we are all tied together by our compassion, empathy and humanity. xoxo
I stopped shooting video as a career/hobby 3 years ago but I haven’t wanted to sell my XL2. But why not, it never gets used. Since starting a food blog, I’ve thought about delving into video again, since a video camera I have and a DSLR I have not. If I could create work like this, there would be no question. I would shoot video over and over and forget the still. This video was beautiful.
I’ve been heartsick all weekend, hugging my children closer than ever and grateful to have my husband here with me. Praying for Jennie and her family every time I think of them. This is a beautiful video, thank you for doing it. I am honored to be a part of the food-blogging community.
Simply beautiful.
This video is amazing. I don’t even know Jennifer & Mikey and it brought tears to my eyes.
I’m sitting here bawling my face off at your beautiful video. What an amazing community. I am in awe of all of the people who participated.
Warmly,
Noel
I am from Buenos Aires, I am a frequent visitor of Cannelle and Vainille blog and also La Tartine Gourmande, and in ocassions, I visit as much links as I can. I found yesterday a comment about the Peanut Pie in Aran´s blog and then I read the post and I linked to Jeannie´s and knew the history. Later yesterday I got so shocked of seing all this movement and links and posts and pies, and now this video, that the only thing I am thinking of is that the world has so much beauty than each of us believe and I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to think on this and start living my life with a bigger amount of hope than I am used to live.
Thank to all of you for improving my life!
Kisses and hughes from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Kindly,
Cris
This is so beautifully shot and such an incredible act of love and community. A tear jerker, and at the same time it gives us hope that in these hard times there’s so much love around us. I don’t know Jennifer, but now I feel like I do and my heart breaks. Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful video.