Though most British pies were savory, apple and other fruit-based pies were common dishes, and one of the first recipes for apple pie appeared in England as early as the 14th century in The Forme of Cury by Samuel Pegge.
Apple Pie Became a Symbol of America in the Early 1900s
While apple pie was popular in America since its inception, it didn’t become associated with our cultural identity until the early 20th century. News, advertising, and the two World Wars catapulted the humble apple pie into the national consciousness as a symbol of American patriotism and nationalism. It started when various publications began positioning apple pie as uniquely American around the turn of the century. In 1902, an editorial in The New York Times stated that pie had become “the American symbol for prosperity” and that “pie is the food of the heroic.” In 1926, that same publication declared, “The Tourist Apple Pie Hunt Is Ended: American Army Abroad Has Failed Again to Find in Europe ‘the Kind They Make at Home,’” thus positioning the dish as a distinctly American phenomenon (which is, of course, untrue). The phrase “as American as apple pie” began to crop up around this time as well. In 1924, a Gettysburg Times advertisement promoted “New Lestz Suits that are as American as apple pie.” And in 1928 an article in The New York Times described the homemaking abilities of First Lady Lou Henry Hoover as being “as American as apple pie or corn pone” (the “corn pone” was quickly dropped from the now-famous saying). Clearly, apple pie had become a symbol for America and certain American ideals like motherly love, purity, wholesomeness, the comfort home, and even agrarian times gone by. It also came to be associated with patriotism and nationalism. This is especially apparent in the lingo of World War II soldiers, who would often say that they were fighting for “mom and apple pie.”
Apples Aren’t Native to America
You may be surprised to learn than neither the apple nor apple pie is actually native to America. In fact, apples are native to Asia. (The only apple variety native to North America is the crab apple.) The sweet yet tart apples that we are familiar with today first spread from Asia to Europe. Later, European colonists brought apples to North America. Specifically, the early colonists of Jamestown are thought to have brought European apple tree cuttings and seeds with them on their journey, thus introducing the apple to America. In the early days of colonization, European settlers primarily used their apples for making cider, which was preferred over water and easier to make than beer. Tree planting was helpful for maintaining a land claim in colonial America, and apple trees were often chosen for this purpose since they were also popular for cider-making. The result of this was that by the 1800s, Americans were growing over 14,000 different varieties of apples! It’s clear that apples were popular, but they weren’t associated with Americana until John Chapman, who is perhaps better known as Johnny Appleseed, made the apple part of American folklore.
Apple Pie Isn’t As American As You Think | Food: Now and Then | NowThis
FAQ
Who really invented apple pie?
When was the first apple pie made in America?
Who created the first pie?
What is a fun fact about apple pie?
When was apple pie invented?
The first mention of apple pie in America occurred in 1697, when Allen Metcalf’s America in So Many Words: Words that have Shaped America referenced it. The first two recipes for apple pie that were published in America were included in the new country’s first cookbook; it was called American Cookery and was published in 1796.
Who brought apple pie to America?
Apple pie is thought to have been brought to America by European colonists – particularly the British, the Dutch, and the Swedish. The first mention of apple pie in America occurred in 1697, when Allen Metcalf’s America in So Many Words: Words that have Shaped America referenced it.
When did apple pie become popular?
Since it was an easy and affordable dish to make, apple pie quickly became part of the American culinary repertoire. While apple pie was popular in America since its inception, it didn’t become associated with our cultural identity until the early 20 th century.
When did apple pie become an American dessert?
U.S. residents enjoyed apple pie throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, but it didn’t gain its all-American status right away. The dessert’s transition from British import to American classic may have started during the Civil War.