What Does 'As American as Apple Pie' Really Mean?
Who doesn’t love a cold, fruity slice of pie on a warm summer day? Americans love pie; it’s the dessert of choice for the all-American 4th of July and Thanksgiving holidays. There’s something magical about a buttery, flaky crust baked around a sweet filling. How did pie become so indelibly stitched into the fabric of our American culture? The phrase “as American as apple pie” is one we’ve all heard, but what does it actually mean?
Pie came to America with some of the earliest settlers, and apple pie was a particular favorite. The Pilgrims brought apple spurs with them to the New World; when the trees began producing fruit, apple became one of the most popular pie fillings in early America. Back then, pies were seen as an economical and sustainable food source that helped to fill the stomachs of hungry immigrants. Often made savory rather than sweet, pies were a convenient way of keeping and transporting food, as well as a way of stretching a small amount of filling ingredients. The crust, which used less flour than bread and was therefore cheaper to make, didn’t have a real personality. Crust was seen more as a vessel for the ingredients inside of the pie. Made from coarse flour and suet, it was very thick and tough, hardly similar to the delicious flaky crust we’re familiar with today. It wasn’t until French immigrants introduced butter to our less-than-stellar crust that it became worthy of its tasty filling.
Pie has evolved to reflect America’s agricultural diversity. From region to region and state to state, pie styles and fillings vary, showing off the very best of what each area has to offer. Maine, with its plentiful blueberry crops, claims blueberry pie as its state dessert. The dairy farms of the Midwest are responsible for cream pies. And which pie do you think Florida, with its abundance of citrus, is known for? Sweet and tart key lime, of course!
This extraordinary apple pie graced Parade’s cover on November 13, 2011. Click here to find out how to make our delicious cover pie.
Learn more about the American history of pie and try a vintage recipe for Old Fashioned All Butter Pie Crust on ToriAvey.com.