Parades! Candy being thrown to you from the top of Fire Engines and of course, fireworks later that night!

Not to mention grilling everything, usually proteins in excess, sides and Jello.

And of course, pies. Apple pies even though it is last year's crop, blueberry pies, cherry clafoutis, really any pie topped with mounds of whipped cream and vanilla ice cream!

The history of pies is thousands of years of history and reflects changes in culture, food availability, and culinary desires.

Ancient pies were more about preserving food for the long haul and less about joy.

In Ancient Egypt (circa 2500 BCE) the early pie-like dishes were made with flatbread and filled with honey and fruits.

The Greeks created a pastry shell made of flour and water to encase meats - primarily to keep the juices in. The shell wasn't always eaten.

The Romans borrowed the idea from the Greeks and improved it. They used a more developed dough (similar to modern pastry) and called their creations "placenta" or "libum" depending on the filling. The "placenta" was most often made with goat or sheep cheese and honey.

The Birth of the pie crust was found in the Middle Ages (in England and France). The dish began to be called a "pye", in the 12th century. The crust was called a "coffin", a thick, tough pastry shell designed more to preserve food than to be eaten.

And the fillings were savory—meat, fowl, fish—and often heavily spiced. It wasn't until sugar became more accessible in the 1500s that sweet pies became available.

Pie, the word, is a metaphor.

Pie likely comes from the magpie, a bird known for collecting a variety of odd and shiny objects for its nest.

This eclectic gathering habit mirrored the way early pies were made: with a mixture of ingredients—meat, vegetables, fruits, or spices—often all in one dish. Just like a magpie's nest, early pies weren't limited to one consistent filling or form.

In Middle English, the term was originally spelled "pye", first recorded in the 12th century. Over time, the spelling evolved to "pie" by the 16th century.

Linguists believe that "pye" as a word for the dish may have also been influenced by the Latin word pia or pica, which referred to the magpie, more fodder to push the origins of the word.

We all make pies and we all bring our pie recipes with us as we move about the country. For obvious reasons what is local to a region creates a popular pie type. Almost everywhere Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie are always favorites....

Some of the pies by region are:

Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Chess Pie, Buttermilk Pie, Key Lime Pie, Cowboy Pie/ Western Pie, Green Chili Apple Pie, Olallieberry Pie, Avocado Pie, Mary Berry Pie, Slab Pie and Hand Pies.

Some states have official pie types or known as State Pies.

One state has Wild Blueberry Pie as the official state dessert with the Whoopie Pie as the State Treat.

Time to make a pie...or five!

Click Here To See Everything that comes up as Pie!

Fruit Pie filling is pretty easy, variations can be more sugar or less depending on the fruit itself. If the fruit has more moisture / juice you can add 2 teaspoons of quick-cooking tapioca to firm up the pie.

See the Basic (Fruit) Blueberry Pie Filling Recipe here!

Perhaps it is a memory, but this cake is at the top of all my food memories. The butter matters as does the flour!

See Rita's Alsatian Cake recipe!

Sometimes lard makes the best pie.

See the Master Lard Pie Crust Recipe here!

Price includes shipping to most locations: Additional shipping charges for hot temperatures and some locations. This leaf lard is an oil, not a solid. In warm weather it can show up like a thick oil. Just freeze or refrigerate. This Mangalitsa Pork Leaf Lard is a rendered product.

When I was growing up, we used to compare apple pies. Back then, it seemed that there were apple orchards scattered all over the place. We would debate over which orchard had the best pickings, and which variety of apples made the best pies, and in the end, it always came down to the crust. The apples were a great addition, but it was the crust that made the pie.

Now, it wasn't like we made the pies ourselves, mind you. It was our moms or our grandmothers who made the pies that we took to bragging about. Since my high school serviced two towns together, a bit of a natural rivalry was always present. In my small circle of friends from my hometown, those that had tried my mom's pie said it was the best. From the other town, everyone said that Peg's grandmother's pie was surely better.

So, it came down to sharing and trying...a pie duel, as it were, scheduled for high noon in the lunchroom. I begged my mom to make a pie, and like all unreasonable requests from teenage children, it is often more painful to say, "no" than to do what was asked. So, an apple pie I got.

The big day came and lunchtime arrived. We stole into an empty classroom and I proudly produced my mom's amazing apple pie. Peg, on the other hand, wimped out (figures!) and brought nothing. But just the same, everyone had a piece, and Peg even admitted that my mom's pie was the best.

Peg, if you're reading, I will put my pie against your pie any day, because "I" have the secret ingredient....

Shop now for Mangalitsa Pig Leaf Lard!

It is all in the crust!

See Chef Lesa's From Scratch Apple Pie Recipe here!

Pale, delicate, and large-grained -- Demerara cane sugar is the English version of turbinado sugar. It gives an appealing sparkle to the tops of cookies, simple cakes or bread puddings, eliminating the need for frostings or drizzles. Since it has just a hint of molasses flavor, it's also a good choice for hot breakfast cereals, yogurts, or a steaming cup of morning coffee or tea and Pie!

Shop now for India Tree Demerara Sugar!

From David Lebovitz - his recipes are some of the best and his books are a fun read and chock full of recipes. And you can also sign up for his newsletters, too!

See the Gateau Invisible aux Pommes - Apple Cake Recipe here!

White rice flour is a fine, powdery substance made from polished white rice. It has a neutral flavor and smooth texture, making it a versatile ingredient in both savory and sweet dishes. White rice flour is particularly popular in gluten-free baking, as it provides structure and lightness to baked goods without the use of wheat flour.

Additionally, it serves as an effective thickening agent for sauces, soups, and gravies, and is a key ingredient in many Asian dishes, such as rice noodles and rice cakes.

The production of white rice flour begins with selecting high-quality white rice grains. The rice is first cleaned to remove any impurities and debris.

The cleaned rice is then soaked in water to soften the grains, making them easier to grind. After soaking, the rice is dried thoroughly to remove excess moisture. The dried rice is then ground into a fine powder using a milling machine.

This milling process involves several stages to ensure the flour reaches the desired consistency. Finally, the flour is sifted to remove any remaining coarse particles, resulting in a uniform, fine-textured flour that is ready for use in various culinary applications.

In Thailand, white rice flour is a fundamental ingredient used in a variety of traditional dishes, both sweet and savory.

Thai desserts such as Khanom Chan, a multi-layered steamed dessert are made with rice flour, coconut milk, and flavored with pandan.

Another popular dessert is Khanom Krok, small coconut-filled rice cakes with a crispy exterior and creamy interior, made from a batter of rice flour and coconut milk.

Additionally, Lod Chong, a dessert featuring green jelly noodles is made from rice flour and served in sweet coconut milk.

On the savory side, white rice flour is essential in making rice noodles. Noodles come in various forms, such as the wide, flat sen yai and the thin sen lek, and are used in famous dishes like Pad Thai and Pad See Ew.

Rice flour is also employed as a thickening agent in soups, curries, and sauces, ensuring a smooth texture without altering the flavor.

Rice flour is also used in pandan pancakes and the delicate wrappers for fresh spring rolls.

Shop now for Thai Rice Flour here!

Directions as Stanley wrote them

Put a bunch of ice cubes into a pyrex with a bunch of water.

Stretch out two rectangles of cling wrap onto your counter.

One stick of chilled butter + 4oz of chilled shortening (or two sticks of butter, or 8oz of chilled lard). This is the "fat", and pie makers will argue endlessly about the choice of "fat"....

See Stanley's Pie Crust Recipe here!

This is the Pecan Pie recipe off the back of the Steen's Cane Syrup can. It's super easy!

See the Steen's Pecan Pie Filling Recipe here!

Perfect for baking and especially pecan pie!

This pure sugar cane syrup is made the old fashioned way in open kettles. Nothing extracted, nothing added. Just 100% goodness. As in days past, Steen's still harvests ripened cane at the sweetest state of maturity. The cane is then ground and the juice extracted. The sweet juice is then cooked to perfection in open kettles. When it's just the right clarity and consistency, it becomes Steen's Pure Cane Syrup.

According to Steen's: "The average syrup makin' season extends from mid-October through Christmas. And today, as in the old days, when autumn is here and the tantalizing aroma fills the air, local residents know they will hear the old steam whistle at the syrup mill blowing. Knowing yet another year of history is being made at The C.S. Steen Syrup Mill. Comme delices du gourmet, il n'y a rien de meilleur." (For a gourmet delight, there's nothing better!)

Shop now for Steen's 100% Pure Cane Syrup!

These delicious French candied orange peels are neither too sweet nor too stiff, and they're perfect for a whole host of applications.

Use them as-is to dip in your favorite dark chocolate couverture for a wonderful treat.

Or you can dice them up and use them in an array of baked goods and confections; from cookies and cakes, to puddings and tarts. Classic bitter orange flavor, and nicely coated with inverted sugar, so they don't stick together.

And you can eat them right out of the bag!

Shop now for French Candied Orange Peel!

The goal is to use the strawberries when the market is full of wonderful looking fruit. The crust is super easy using shortbread or other crumbly cookies. A no fuss kind of pie.

See the Strawberry Pie with a Cookie Crust Recipe here!

The Rainier Cherry is one of the sweetest of all the sweet cherries - although it has a little more of a tart bite than the Early Robins - which have almost no acid. With its characteristic cream-colored flesh, Rainier Cherry farmers will not pick them until the sugar brix (a measure of how sweet the cherry is) reaches 17. But, some wait until they reach 20 brix. That is one of the reasons they are so memorable and addictive.

The Rainier is a cross between a Bing and a Van -- two sweet-red varieties. Created by Harold Fogle in 1952, who, at the time, directed the cherry breeding program at the Washington State University. And, boy, are we happy that Harold did what he did.

OMG....those Rainier's are absolutely outrageous!!!
"What a surprise and a treat to have those arrive yesterday. I am trying to hold off eating them all so that I can share some with my daughter and son-in-law tomorrow, but it that point it will be nip-and-tuck as to whether they will still be around."
-- Claire

See the Fresh Rainier Cherries here!