National Pie Day in the United States: History, Significance and How to Celebrate the Day

January 23rd is National Pie Day in the United States, a celebration of one of the country’s favorite desserts. No matter how you look at it, pie in any form is a crowd-pleaser. Cream pies, berry pies, and fruit pies are delicious examples of homemade delicacies.

Pie is one of the most American desserts. We commemorate National Pie Day on January 23 for this reason. Everything pie is celebrated on this day whether you buy or bake them the most important thing is to enjoy them. No one can resist a nice warm slice of this delectable dessert because pies are so popular the buttery pastry that encases them can be filled with anything from fruit and berries to cream and chocolate.

The United States observes National Pie Day to honor one of its most popular and traditional desserts. The traditional apple pie as well as pecan, pumpkin, and cherry varieties are available for us to savor on this day which combines flavor and history. Well, go over pie history, interesting facts, and ways to partake in this delicious American custom in this post.

In essence, National Pie Day honors the pie. Not only is everyone encouraged to bake their favorite pie but the day also serves as a reminder to enjoy pie! The only question is will it be all a mode?

It may surprise you to learn that pies have been consumed by humans for a very long time—they were first made around 9500 BC during the Neolithic or New Stone Age period in Egypt. We shouldn’t have any trouble selecting one we like because there are so many options available. We commemorate the day twice a year along with their cousin’s National Pi Day after all.

Background

Colorado teacher and pie enthusiast Charlie Papazian founded National Pie Day in 1975. Papazian was such a pie lover that he made January 23 his birthday the official day to honor his favorite treat. To blow out his candles he even had birthday pies rather than cakes!

This unofficial holiday gained national recognition very quickly due to the importance of pies in American culture and 1986 the American Pie Council started to sponsor National Pie Day. Indeed a special organization devoted to “preserving America’s pie heritage and promoting America’s love affair with pies” exists because pies are so popular in the country. Because the American Pie Council is so dedicated to promoting National Pie Day they partnered with Paramount Pictures in 2014 to use a pie-making scene from the film “Labor Day” to further promote the holiday.

When is the celebration of National Pie Day?

National Pie Day is observed on January 23rd each year in the United States according to the official calendar. To honor pie one of the most recognizable desserts in American culture a Colorado educator named Charlie Papazian created this date in 1975. Interestingly, he selected January 23rd since it was his birthday.

With the help of the American Pie Council which hosts events competitions and other activities to celebrate this culinary tradition, the celebration has grown in popularity over time. Pie with its diverse range of flavors is a symbol of the country’s cultural roots and family unity making it the ideal dessert to enjoy and share on this day.

Why is National Pie Day celebrated?

This holiday honors pie one of the most recognizable desserts in American culture. This dessert represents harmony and tradition in addition to having a long history in the nation’s cuisine. Furthermore, it has come to represent the United States culinary identity.

National Pie Day: Brief History

Although the precise origins of National Pie Day in the US are unknown many people think the holiday started in the late 20th century as a way to honor pie’s cultural importance in United States cooking.

Pie’s origins can be traced to the early European immigrants to America who brought pie recipes that changed to accommodate local ingredients. Native fruits like apples cherries and berries were used to make the first American pies. Over time they became a staple at family dinners, particularly around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Several organizations and bakeries started promoting National Pie Day as a way to honor this popular dessert in the 1980s which is when the celebration gained popularity even though there is no official date to mark its inception.

National Pie Day is now a time to celebrate American culture, baking history, and generation-to-generation culinary traditions in addition to indulging in this delectable treat. Additionally, the day has evolved into a time to try out new pie flavors and varieties the most popular ones are chocolate and tropical fruit pies.

History of Pies

Pies are one of the oldest prepared foods in history which is just one of the many reasons to celebrate them. Pie recipes have been documented since the Roman era. Goat cheese and honey pie are the oldest pie recipe known to exist and the Roman’s favorite pie fillings were fruits, meat, and seafood. The Greeks filled their water and flour shell pastries with meats, fruits, and honey following a similar pie-making custom.

During the Middle Ages, pies were still popular because people liked them with meats and vegetables. But the dough in these pies served only as a container for the food preventing it from drying out and making transportation simpler. Because of this people frequently only ate the pie filling because the dough was inedible.

Pie was brought to America by English pilgrims and settlers. In the 17th century, American classics like pecan pie and pumpkin pie gained a lot of popularity. With whatever natural ingredients were available in their areas settlers started creating pies as they dispersed throughout the new country. This led to a significant increase in the variety of pies produced in the US.

Pies remain a traditional American staple today. Although homemade pies are popular among Americans some stand out as the most popular. These include chocolate creme pie, key lime pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, and cherry pie.

Savory or Sweet

Although pies are a staple of British cuisine many people prefer savory dishes. Three traditional pies—Pork Pies, Shepherd’s Pies, and Cottage Pies—stand out among the variety of pies that are popular in the UK (as well as some nearby pies like Cornish Pasties).

How to Celebrate National Pie Day in the United States?

Enjoy a pie for breakfast lunch or dinner on this special day whether you choose to make your own or purchase one from the kitchen or grocery store.

• Cook and bake at home: Families use National Pie Day as an opportunity to get together in the kitchen and make their pies. Everyone will enjoy and learn from this activity which can involve both children and adults in the dough preparation filling and baking processes.
• Eat some pie: Whether it’s apple, pumpkin, cherry, peach, or any other classic flavor the easiest and most popular way to celebrate is to eat a delicious slice of pie. During dinner or other family get-togethers, a lot of families use the occasion to share homemade desserts.
• Special offers and discounts at restaurants and bakeries: A lot of bakeries and restaurants have special promotions or discounts on pies to entice customers to buy a variety of flavors or to eat an extra slice. Traditional pies and more inventive options are among the offerings.
• Participate in pie contests: Pie contests are held in many cities and communities where contestants compete by creating their own pie creations. These gatherings are well-liked at bakeries, schools, churches, and neighborhood fairs and provide an opportunity to display baking creativity.
• Donate pies to charities: Some people and organizations decide to honor the day by donating pies to shelters, nonprofit organizations, nursing homes, and hospitals. This is a way to spread the cheer of National Pie Day to people who might not otherwise be able to partake in this delectable treat.