Short Stuff: Pies

Key Takeaways

Pie originated 8,000 years ago in Egypt as simple galettes, evolving through Greek pastry innovation.
Medieval European pies, sometimes called 'coffins,' featured functional crusts for savory fillings.
Pumpkin and apple pies possess distinct historical journeys, with apple pie becoming an American cultural symbol.
Some desserts named 'pie,' like Boston cream pie, are technically cakes.
Regional specialties such as Key lime pie highlight diverse culinary traditions.

Pie's origins date back 8,000 years to ancient Egypt, where early versions were called galettes, rustic mixtures of grains sweetened with honey and baked over coals.
The Greeks adopted galettes and were instrumental in developing pastry dough.
The Roman Empire facilitated the spread of pies across Europe, leading to diverse international interpretations.
Global pie varieties include Ethiopian sambusa, Spanish empanadas, Greek spanakopita, German Zwiebelkuchen, and Quebecois Tortillere, encompassing both sweet and savory types.

Medieval English pies were often referred to as 'coffins' and featured functional crusts designed to hold savory fillings, sometimes including game bird bones as handles.
These pies had inedible crusts for the wealthy, while lower classes consumed them.
Open-faced pies, now recognized as tarts, emerged during this period.
Pie recipes began appearing in European cookbooks around the 1300s, with a German cookbook from 1553 providing an early example.
Historical practices included baking empty pies for presentation and filling pies with live animals or performers for royal courts between the 15th and 18th centuries, referenced by 'Sing a Song of Sixpence'.

Pumpkin pie arrived in the New World via the Mayflower.
Early American preparations involved using the pumpkin itself as a crust.
These pumpkin creations were filled with honey and spices, then baked over coals.

The first known pumpkin pie recipe was published in France in 1651, preceding its appearance in American cookbooks.
Apples are native to Asia and were brought to America by colonists; Dutch apple pie existed centuries before apples reached America.
Apple pie has symbolized American culture since at least 1928, used to describe First Lady Lou Hoover and as a patriotic rallying cry for World War II GIs.
Cherry pie may date back to the 16th century, potentially created for Queen Elizabeth I.

Boston cream pie is identified as a cake, not a pie, originating from a similar 'Washington pie' recipe.
It was invented for the 1856 opening of the Parker House Hotel in Boston, establishing it as a distinct dessert.
Key lime pie is a Florida specialty, with its origins debated between a late 19th-century creation by 'Aunt Sally' and a 1930s Borden Condensed Milk recipe.
Lemon icebox pie is a similar favorite, often prepared without meringue.