The Real History of Apple Pie.
Two food facts about apple pie: 1) apples did not originate in the Americas and 2) neither did apple pie itself. Let’s break down the history of apple pie and how America claims this beloved dessert as its own.
Apple Pie History & How America Claim It As Their Own
To begin, apples are actually native to Asia, specifically in Kazakhstan. From Asia, apples were brought to Europe through Silk Road. And it was the early colonists who in turn brought European apple tree seeds to the Americas.
These settlers primarily used apples for cider which was tastier than water and much easier to make compared to beer. Plus, planting trees was a way to preserve land claims.
And now on to the apple pie:
The first written record of apple pie dates back to 1381 in England. This sweet-savory creation included figs, raisins, pears, and saffron. Like the apples, the spices like saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg all came from Asia and Silk Road trades. Sugar was not added as it was far too expensive at the time. Additionally, the pastry crust was purposefully inedible as it merely served as a container for the apple dish.
The apple pie we know of today roots in 1514 in the Netherlands. Dutch apple pies are the lattice-style pastry dessert we all love today. Over the next century, it would popularize throughout Europe.
In 1697, there was written evidence of apple pie introduced by Swedish, Dutch, and British immigrants to the Americas. These settlers declared it as uniquely American, not at all recognizing its true cultural origins. A hundred years later, there were written recipes for this American apple pie.
The expression, “as American as apple pie,” was coined in the early 1900s but the history of that is unknown. A few decades later in the 1940s soldiers declared the warmth of home and their purpose for fighting in the world wars meant “mom and apple pie”. In both cases, apple pie became an expression and national symbol for pride and patriotism.
In a sense, apple pie is as American as today’s Americans. America today is this mixture of cultures that have often forgotten their roots and origins while claiming America as their one and only – much like “American apple pie.”
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