Actually, Just How American Is Apple Pie?
It's an iconic dish — but where did it come from?
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The notion of an apple pie is a particularly wholesome one, and oftentimes thought to be synonymous with America at large. The apple is arguably the most ubiquitous piece of produce in the country, at least when it comes to usage in idioms and phrases, but the pie can most certainly stand on its own in terms of cultural cache. Like other symbolic foods, it truly holds volumes — both timeless yet vintage, customary but never boring. It’s hard to turn down a good slice of apple pie. Impossible, even!
The idiom “as American as apple pie,” of course, really drives home the association. But is it true? As it turns out, the history of this dessert is a bit more muddled.
Where did apple pie come from?
The apple pie — wafting steam; rich, butter-laden lattice topping; the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and brown sugar; the soft comfort of baked, collapsed-upon-themselves apples; sometimes perched on a windowsill — is actually a British invention dating back to the 14th century. However, the pie's confluence of ingredients — from warming spices and vanilla to the butter and wheat making up in the pastry itself — actually came from other parts of the world.
How did apple pie come to America?
British settlers brought apple pie to the American colonies.
John T. Edge, founding director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, writes in his book "Apple Pie: An American Story" that "during the Civil War, both Union and Confederate troops scavenged for apples and commandeered the hearths — and flour bins — of white farmers and black tenants to bake pies."
There was an organic spread of interest in the dish, primarily traced to early cookbooks and ostensibly word of mouth from bakers and home cooks. In Smithsonian Magazine, Gabriella Petrick writes that by 1900, "Americans were eating more apple pie than any other variety."
How did apple pie become an American symbol?
Apple pie was already popular, but in the 20th century, a marketing push from newspapers and media outlets made the pie truly iconic. It became a symbol of American sensibilities and even patriotism at large.
The aforementioned phrase "as American as apple pie" actually came from a 1920s ad for men's suits in Gettysburg, PA.
According to Petrick, a Boston Globe editorial wrote, "As soon as an American boy goes to any foreign country he at once begins to languish for American pie" — again driving home pie as a proudly American dessert. It even added, “Patrick Henry might as well have said ‘Give me pie or give me death’ because what is liberty without pie?”
Once the pie was thought of as a particularly fitting dish to serve on time-honored holidays, and its traditions became even further ensconced in American iconography, the notion of the apple pie as a tried-and-true, red-white-and-blue American classic was undeniable.
What other variations of apple pie are there?
Apple pie is also endlessly malleable — why not throw some cheddar in the crust? Why not add some cardamom to the apple-and-spices base? Why not switch up the brown sugar and instead opt for agave or maple syrup? Not in the mood for an entire pie? Opt for a hand pie that can be eaten on the go. Opposed to making a crust from scratch? All good — purchase a frozen one. Opposed to Granny Smiths? Choose another apple variety entirely, or maybe mix and match. Go for a deep-dish pie with staggering amounts of butter, or possibly a gluten-free version. Try a vegan option, an apple-and-pear iteration or maybe an open-faced pie topped with swooping swirls of homemade whipped cream.
The ideal 4th of July dessert:
You could say there’s something particularly “melting pot” about how the ingredients in a pie that’s thought to be incredibly American all hail from around the world, though perhaps that’s also a welcome reminder of how disparate items can come together to create a whole that is bigger — and more iconic — than the sum of its humble parts.
And when it comes to apple pie, it’s hard to go wrong, no matter the variation. A classic is a classic for a reason, regardless of where it was first invented. No matter its history, the idea of apple pie has become a markedly American one. There may be no more fitting dessert to have on your patio table this 4th of July.
Happy 250th!
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We love using a variety of apples in our pie; it adds both flavor and texture and makes every bite a little different. Vodka in the pie crust makes the dough easier to work with, and since the alcohol burns off during baking, it doesn't impart any flavor. But feel free to use bourbon or apple brandy instead to complement the filling.
