Since celebrating the wholesome goodness of pie is as easy as 1-2-3, the American Pie Council demmed Jan 23 (1/23) as the choosen day to include in the sweet treat.
A slice of history:
Pies are often thought to be American in origin, because of the phrase “as American as apple pie.”
Pies have actually been around since the ancient Egyptians, who may have learned about it from the Greeks, according to the American Pie Council. These early pies were made for the purpose of holding the filling, not necessarily to be eaten.
The Romans spread the word about pies around Europe, and the word pie, or pye, came into the lexicon by the 14th century. The first published pie recipe, from the Romans, was for a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie.
The early pies were meat pies. Pies appeared in England in the 12th century. The crust was referred to as a coffin. Typically, there was more crust than filling.
Fruit pies or tarts were likely made in the 1500s. The first cherry pie was probably made during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. English settlers brought the pie to America, cooking them in long, narrow pans. These crusts were usually not eaten, but like the Romans, used to hold the filling.
Pie has become the most traditional American dessert, according to the council.
For those who want to test their pie-making skills against others, the 18th annual American Pie Council/Crisco National Pie Championships are April 27 to 29 in Orlando, Fla. Entry forms are at www.piecouncil.org.
