Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies by Rossi AnastopouloMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Despite the casualness of the writing, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was hard-hitting, especially in the chapters about sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie, and bean pie. It was often funny, as in the Jell-O pie chapter. Apple pie provided the overarching theme for this book that tells each pie's history based on the time in society in which it was created. As a white Anglo-Saxon protestant born and raised in New England and raised with families descended from the Mayflower, I revere apple pie; not only for it's culinary artistry but because of the depth of its hold on our lives and traditions.
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| My pumpkin and apple pies (apple way in the back) My own crust |
That reverence is now less than it was, but I doubt I will ever shake it completely. Even though I basically knew all there was about apple pie and probably knew that it did not deserve such reverence, I ignored the knowledge until it bludgeoned me over the head in this book. And pumpkin pie? My personal favorite? I will never be able to appreciate it as much as I have in the past. I will bake the original sweet potato pie recipe of the enslaved people. I may even bake a bean pie. I have made chiffon pies and sugar pies already but probably will not ever do so again.
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| My blueberry pie with berries we picked. Frozen store crust. |
Each year in school we make no-bake pies (Jell-O pies) for Pi Day. I thank the white patriarchy for creating these pies (but not for much else). They make Pi Day more fun and much easier and give the kids a chance to "bake" when they have never cooked before. So yes, I am contributing to mass consumerism in this country, just like the patriarchs from the fifties wanted me to do.
I had two disappointments when reading: Anastopoulo never mentioned Pi Day or gave us the low-down on Johnny Appleseed.
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| Strawberry Chiffon Pie KAF recipe Every inch of it from scratch |
This is an important look at the social history of pie in our culture in the US. If you bake, read it.
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| Chocolate Cream Pie KAF recipe Every inch from scratch on a snow day |
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