I'll Take Pie, Not Pi

I'm not a mathematician. So Pi Day has never excited me. (For you people who like your math, Pi Day is March 14 or 3.14)

When you Google "Pie" Day, it's "Pi" Day that comes up for the first few entries on the list. Last week, a Facebook friend said that January 23 is PIE Day. Like me, she knew about the math celebration, but not the PIE party, until she wrote a feature article about pie. (How can I get writing jobs like that?)

But after I typed in "baking a pie day," I found a website devoted to pie. The American Pie Council has indeed dubbed January 23rd as National Pie Day:

Why is National Pie Day celebrated on January 23 or 1/23? Because celebrating the wholesome goodness of pie is as easy as 1-2-3.

I'm not sure I agree with that slogan, but I've had a pie photo and recipe rattling around, just ready to be shared. So what better day than National Pie Day?

The American Pie Council is "an organization committed to preserving America's pie heritage and promoting America's love affair with pies. Designed to raise awareness, enjoyment and consumption of pies, the APC offers amateur, professional and commercial memberships."

I think Randy would be thrilled if I would join. I don't make pie nearly as often as he'd like.

According to the APC website, pie has been around since the ancient Egyptians. The first pies were made by early Romans. Meat - not fruit - was the mainstay of early pies. Fruit pies have been around since the 1500s, when English tradition credits the first cherry pie to Queen Elizabeth I. Pie came to America with the first English settlers. And now the dessert is "as American as apple pie."

I made a Toll House Cookie Pie for our church's Sweet Tooth Auction last year. This pie is one of Brent's favorites, since he's not a fruit pie person. As pies go, it really is easy to put together.

Toll House Chocolate Chip Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch (4 cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened (no substitutes)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (I usually use pecans)
Whipped cream or ice cream (opt.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour and both sugars. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell. Put pie shields on crust to prevent overbrowning.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. (If the top looks too brown before the center is set, cover whole pie with foil to prevent overbrowning.)

Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

If fruit pie is more to your liking, try this recipe for Blueberry Pie. (You can use frozen berries.) It has step-by-step photos for making and rolling out your pie dough.

And the American Pie Council has a link to pie recipes. So go ahead: Celebrate Pie Day. It will be tastier than Pi Day.

**

I'm linked to Two Maids a Baking. Check them out!