The History of Pies

Pies are the perfectly balanced dessert that have become a staple in American culture. Whether it’s apple, pecan, rhubarb, or even meat pie, the dish has found its way into baking culture and engrained itself in it. Because of its strong presence in Western culture, you might think that pies originated in the region, but that is in fact not the case. Pies were actually originated in Egypt, where a pie-like dish made from oats and a honey filling were made often. There have also been recipes for chicken pie discovered in ancient Egyptian scripture. The Greeks were the ones to invent the pastry part of the pie around the 5th century BC. Despite of this, the Romans were the ones to solidify the recipe for pie and were the ones who made them in the way that is most similar to the way we eat them today. In the olden times, pies were usually savoury dishes and not all parts of the dish were eaten. In fact, the pastry was not meant to be eaten as it was meant to serve as a protectant of the filling while baking. The pastry was called a “coffin” for the filling, and was a lot thicker than what we are used to today. In some places, pies became a form of entertainment as bakers would experiment with what they could bake into the coffin. According to reports, bakers would even bake crusts and hide entertainers of bands in them after baking to provide the dinner entertainment. As the Romans gained power around Europe, their love of pie came with them. They eventually made their way to England, where the first ever cherry pie was baked for Queen Elizabeth I. Pies became so popular that they were even included in Shakespeare’s work. As the British moved to America, so did their love of pie. From there, the culture of pie-making spread all across the country and the famous apple pie eventually became a staple in American society.