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Pies are a great metaphor for local, wholesome food, and their ingredients tell stories about the people who bake them and the areas where they're created. All along the Eat Well Guided Tour of America, we are honoring pie-making traditions by baking, tasting, comparing, sharing and eating endless varieties of pies from across the country.
We'd offer you a slice if we could, but we can't, so instead, we're sharing our pie experiences with you virtually - check out our photos, videos, blog entries, pie recipes, and special "Pie Across America" forum section. If you get inspired to gather some local ingredients and bake a pie of your own, drop us a line in the forum and let us know how it went!
We also did a little pre-road trip pie research. Below are feature articles on pie nutrition, the history of pie, and the history of pizza pie.
HISTORY OF PIE
Everyone is familiar with pie classics such as apple pie, chicken pot pie, and quiche, but did you know that the first pies (as we know them today) were often made from pastry that was intentionally barely edible, and with fillings such as whole birds? While several Middle Eastern and classical cultures, including the Egyptians and the Romans, made pie-like pastries, pie as we know it came into being in Northern Europe in the Middle Ages. Read more...
AN AMERICAN HISTORY OF PIZZA
Pizza. Everyone knows it's an Italian food (though its earliest origins are a matter of some debate) but it is undoubtedly more popular in America than in any other country. Pizza is a $20 billion industry in the US. According to studies, 93 percent of Americans eat a slice at least once a month, nearly 70 percent of Super Bowl viewers eat pizza while watching the game, and the average American puts away about 23 pounds a year. But that wasn't always the case. Pizza was a tough sell when introduced in the US early in the 20th century. What follows is an American history of one of the world's favorite foods. Read more...
HOW TO BAKE A NUTRITIOUS PIE
Pie is not usually where we turn to get our daily dose of essential vitamins and minerals, but that doesn't mean pies can't be filled with wholesome ingredients. Pie recipes vary, but here are some ideas to pack nutrition into every slice. Read more...
FACTS ABOUT PIE
Curious? Read more...
HOW TO RENDER LARD:
The best lard for making savory and sweet pastries is the fat above the pig's kidneys, also known as leaf lard. You can buy lard already rendered, but you miss out on filling your house with the smell of pork-y goodness. Many local, sustainable pig farmers sell lard that requires rendering - talk to your local sustainable pig farmer to find out more! (Visit the Eat Well Guide www.eatwellguide.org to find local farmers and stores that sell sustainable lard.) Read more...
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