5 Forgotten Pies Worth Making for Pi Day

The March 12, 2022, edition of the Favorite Things newsletter was adapted into this article. You can sign up here.

One of the sunniest sweets I know is Shaker lemon pie, which I made this week. It doesn't sound like much, a simple combination of sugar, lemons, egg, and pastry crust. This sweet-and-sour treat is an absolute delight, and I'm sad that more people don't know about it.

I have become something of a pie hype-woman. Its obscurity is not due to a lack of good food. It's largely due to the fact that the religious community that came to North America in 1774 has dwindled.

Pies have fallen from favor because they are bad, but also because their creators have disappeared, their ingredients have become less accessible, or their recipes are too labor intensive.

It's the perfect time to try an old-school pie since today is Pi Day. Here are five forgotten pies and how to make them.

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Shaker Lemon Pie

The cooks in the shirred kitchen carried out their recipes with great care and precision.

The lemons are sliced and macerated with sugar for a few days until they become gummy candy. The result is simple and perfect, thanks to the combination of eggs and baked in a flaky crust.

The recipes of the Shaker community have disappeared from tables. This recipe for lemon pie is from the Shaker Historical Village in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky.

White Potato Pie

Many people are familiar with sweet potato pie, but few have eaten it. White potato pie was made with mashed potatoes, eggs, butter, and a hint of nutmeg.

When other produce was scarce, the pie became a favorite in Maryland. During the colder months, advances in agriculture and preservation techniques made white potato pie less popular.

It can still be found in bakeries in Maryland, but you can try it yourself using this recipe.

Sour Orange Pie

Most people think of key lime pie when they think of desserts from Florida. There is another delicious treat in the state of Florida.

The sour orange is a bitter orange that grows in Florida. Despite the fact that sour orange pie is similar to its key lime cousin, it has never caught on.

Some say key lime won out because of savvy marketing, while others think the sour orange is too sour. Fans of sweet things should enjoy this gem. This recipe is a good one to give a try.

Mock Apple Pie

The American recipe doesn't get enough credit for its magic trick. The big reveal is that the blend inside the crust is similar to apple pie filling. crumbled crackers covered in lemon, spices and sugar syrup

Thanks to the Great Depression and the introduction of the Ritz cracker, the popularity of this cracker-based pie exploded in the 1930s. Nabisco distributed the recipe in order to promote its new product.

Ritz has become synonymous with mock apple pie. The appeal of the imposter pie has declined in recent years because apples are more readily available across the country. Some bakers swear by it. You can try this recipe and see for yourself.

Marlborough Pie

No Thanksgiving spread in New England was complete without Marlborough pie. The apple custard filling is a perfect autumnal treat.

The pie was a delicious way to use apples. As simpler options took its place on the holiday table, Marlborough pie disappeared.

It lives on in historical villages that make the treat for educational purposes. The sweet-and-spiced dessert is more than just a teaching tool; try this recipe to experience it yourself.

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