Omnivore - For the love of pie

A piece appeared in Salon this week about the superiority of pie to cake. I myself am a long-time lover of pie (check out my early food-writing attempt at a love-letter to blackberry season), both savory and sweet. The author in Salon seems to feel that pie has not gotten its due — I find that hard to swallow in the country who’s identity is inextricably attached to apple pie. Sure, people have cake at birthdays and weddings, but they also have hot dogs at ball games. Does that mean we as a country don’t appreciate the burger? No. We eat pie at Thanksgiving, at picnics, and all summer long in the South.

What we don’t eat enough of is savory pie. I want steak and kidney pie! More chicken pot pie! Vegetable pie! Shepherd’s Pie!!! (my young sister who lives in Australia actually has a “shepherd’s pie dance” she breaks into uncontrollably when she finds out that’s what’s for dinner — my dad’s shepherd’s pie is that good).

Next week, Jennifer Zyman will cover savory pies in Mouthful. I didn’t force her to, but I am looking forward to it.

(Photo from sxc.hu)