THANKSGIVING BONUS: Revisiting Pie

Dive Deep into Pie with Us, Again

In this second iteration of As We Eat’s annual deep dish on pies, their origins, and their impact on food culture, Kim and Leigh dive into an American classic that originated with a fictional character and discover how a bird had a role etymologically in the word pie.

What does the magpie have to do with the name of a yummy baked treat? And what does a fictional character relate to desserts made from Florida citrus?

First, we return to the origins of regional pie specialties as Leigh surveys the ingenuity of pie bakers and cooks who built empires on fairly basic pie recipes that originated in Western Europe. Using the literal fruits of the land, flavorful classics like apple pie, lemon meringue, and huckleberry pie were created to sate hungry tummies and souls. Even in times of shortages of butter and sugar, ingenuity created make-do recipes resulting in “desperation pie” and even “water pie” to help maintain a sense of normalcy at times when life was anything but normal.

Next, Kim speaks on how the thrifty utilization of excess egg white plus a fictional culinary character led to one of the most favorite pies in American history - lemon meringue - and how a massive hurricane shifted Florida’s production of pineapple to its globally-known key lime, inspiration for the key lime meringue pie. This tale isn’t fully told without a peek into the life and kitchen of William Curry, who brought condensed milk to the Florida Keys and whose cook *may* be the originator of the original Key Lime Pie recipe.

Tell us what kind of pie(s) you’ll be making for the holidays? Do you prefer the traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving or do you buck tradition and make something else?

Episode Transcript

🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧

• Food Timeline

• American Agriculturist

• Pie Camp - Kate McDermott

• Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani

• The Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson

•  American Lady’s Cook Book, Mrs. T. J. Crowen

• Brave Tart, Iconic American Desserts, Stella Parks

• Pecan Pie – Sally’s Baking Addiction 

• Water Pie – Parade

• Mincemeat Pie – Daring Gourmet

• Apple Pie – Art of the Pie

• Lemon Meringue – Art of the Pie

• Key Lime – Once Upon a Chef

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