There’s nothing more American than enjoying a barbeque, eating a slice of homemade apple pie, and then watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. But why is this delicious pastry associated with the birth of America? Well, apple pie was actually one of the first desserts to be made in America.
When the Americans gained independence from Britain, they started distancing themselves from British culture and this included traditional English desserts like scones and bread pudding. In the 1700s, Dutch and German immigrants taught them how to make the buttery crust and the colonists filled it with sliced apples and spices before it became known as the dessert we enjoy today. A recipe for apple pie was published in the first American cookbook American Cookery in 1796. The Fourth of July is a celebration of independence from Britain and apple pie signified this to early colonists.
“As American as Apple Pie”
You’ve probably heard this phrase before and it comes from the folktale about Johnny Appleseed. First used in the 1800s, “as American as apple pie,” didn’t become widely used until after World War II when it was common for soldiers to say “for mom and apple pie” when telling journalists why they enlisted. Since then, the term can be used for anything patriotic.
