Apple is Upper Crust of Pies

The Salt Lake Tribune


In honor of National Pie Day on Jan. 23, here are 10 pie facts you might want to know:
* One out of four Americans prefers apple pie, followed by pumpkin or sweet potato (17 percent), anything chocolate (14 percent), lemon meringue (11 percent) and cherry (10 percent).
* Three out of four Americans prefer homemade pie.
* If you lined up the number of pies sold at U.S. grocery stores in one year, they would more than circle the globe.
* The wet bottom molasses pie, called shoo-fly pie, was used to attract flies from the kitchen.
* The wealthy English were known for their "Surprise Pies" from which live creatures would pop out when the pie was cut open.
* Pumpkin pie was first introduced to the holiday table at the Pilgrims' second Thanksgiving, in 1623.
* Pie was not always America's favorite dessert - in the 19th century, fruit pies were a common breakfast food eaten before the start of a long day.
- Kathy Stephenson
The Salt Lake Tribune