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Despite its foreign origins, apple pie has a lot of history in the United States. From the first colonist who brought apple seeds to the United States to immigrants who brought the recipe for apple pie in the 17th and 18th centuries, apple pie has become an essential American tradition since the 1900s.
The Origin of Pie
According to experts, pies have been in existence since ancient Egypt and were developed by early Romans, who may have learned them from the Greeks. These pies were made from reeds and consumed solely with the filling. The word "pie" has been in use since the 14th century, and it was the Romans who first published a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie recipe. A clay- or water-based pastry was commonly used to cover meats that were cooked over an open fire or in an oven. This covering was never eaten and was removed prior to serving.
In the 1100s, pies appeared in England. It’s safe to say that once man learned how to process grain and combine it with proteins or fruits, he discovered pie. Even hunters and gatherers might have easily combined fruits, grains, and fats to make pies.
Meat pie was the predominant early pie. Pies have been popular in England, and the name for the crust was "coffyn." There was more crust than filling. The legs of the birds were positioned on the side of the dish and used as handles to make these pies. Fruit pies were made in the 1500s, and the English credited Queen Elizabeth I with making the first cherry pie.
Americans ate their pies after the first English settlers arrived with them in the country. Pie crusts were fashioned in England and brought to the United States, where they were cooked in long, narrow pans known as "coffins." Like Roman pie crusts, early American pie crusts were simply baked filling containers. During the American Revolutionary War, the term "crust" was used instead of "coffin" to describe the pie's shell.
"As American as apple pie"
Over time, apple pie became what it is now—the most traditional American dessert. The phrase "as American as apple pie" is now commonly used to express acceptance of something as if it belongs in America.
Meat pies and fruit pies
Although fruit pies were popular, they weren’t the most eaten. Meat pies had already become a dietary staple in England and had become a staple in many homes due to their ability to stay warm for a long time and because they were therefore a nourishing lunch that could be eaten with the hands. The Cornish pasty (a meat and/or vegetable pie that is folded in half, crimped, and baked) has been eaten for centuries.
The Dutch apple pie is the closest and oldest relative of today's apple pie. The first English colonists and early settlers baked pies in "coffins", but they did not consume the crust, they just used it to hold the filling as it cooked. The apple pie we know today began when British, Dutch, and Swedish settlers brought recipes to the colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries.
How do you keep the bottom of a pie from getting soggy?
When baking a pie, make sure to preheat the bottom crust longer than the rest of the pie to prevent a soggy bottom. To do this, place a baking sheet in the oven while it is preheating.
Should I use a glass or metal pie plate?
Metal and glass pie plates work well for baking double-crust pies. But for single-crust pies that are pre-baked, a metal plate must be used as it heats quickly and ensures a crisp crust.
How do you store a baked apple pie?
You can keep your pie at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerate it for up to two more days. After that, it can be placed in the fridge or freezer. If you plan to use your pie crust later, then keep it in the freezer and use it after 2-3 months.
Although pies were not invented in America, they have become an inseparable part of American food and culture, and their popularity has spread to other countries as well.
