Today is Cherry Pie Day
February 20, 2018
The Bottom Line: February 20th is Cherry Pie Day!
The Full Story:
February 20th is Cherry Pie Day! Sure, apple pie might be America’s “favorite,” but there’s another pie that’s pretty beloved: cherry pie. This is the day for all cherry pie lovers to eat their favorite pie for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. Now, we know that English settlers once brought their pies to North America, but the exact origin of Cherry Pie Day isn’t so clear. Still, it makes perfect sense that we celebrate it in February – because that’s National Cherry Month!
Now, pie has been around since the ancient times. The first pies were made by early Romans, and it’s believed that they may have learned about it through the Greeks. These pies were sometimes made in "reeds" which were used for the sole purpose of holding the filling and not for eating with the filling.
Here’s where it gets fun – early pies were predominately made of meat pies. Pyes (yes, that’s how they spelled pies) originally appeared in England as early as the twelfth century. The crust of the pie was referred to as “coffin.” There was actually more crust than filling – and often, these pies were made using birds and the legs were left to hang over the side of the dish and used as handles. Fruit pies or tarts (pasties) were probably first made in the 1500s. English tradition credits making the first cherry pie to Queen Elizabeth 1st.
Back here in America, pie has evolved to become what it is today “the most traditional American dessert.” Pie has become so much a part of American culture throughout the years, that we now commonly use the term “as American as apple pie.” Are you a cherry fan? Then feel free to make that term “as American as cherry pie.