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The Long and Tasty History of Apple Pie
One of the most popular foods in the United States has evolved around the world for centuries
Apple pie is not only delicious, but also used to describe something American (As in “As American as apple pie). However, while the tasty dessert actually isn’t even American in origin, like many foods it has a fascinating history.
Getting started, neither apples or their pie equivalent originated in the United States. The fruit is native to Asia (experts believe they originated in the Kazakhstan area), eventually being carried to Europe, where they have been grown for well over a thousand years, going back to at least 300 B.C. Meanwhile, the first recorded mention of an apple pie recipe dates back to 1381 when famed English writer Geoffrey Chaucer printed his version, which was far different than what we know today — as it included apples, pears, raisins and figs, but no sugar.
The earliest version of apple pies contained no sugar simply because it was such a rare and expensive item. Available from only certain areas of the world, it took a lot of time, danger and expense to produce or import. The additional fruits were included in the pies to provide natural sweetener.
