Did you know that blueberry pie is the official state dessert of Maine? Today, we are going to share some fascinating facts about this delicious dessert. From its nutritional value to its history, there is a lot to love about blueberry pie!
A Pie with Blueberry Filling
Blueberry pie is an all-American dessert. This is a pie, the main distinguishing feature of which is the blueberry filling. Because blueberry pie does not require pitting or peeling of the fruit, it is easy to prepare. It’s basically a blueberry cobbler with a top and bottom crust so it can be easily held in your hands. The top crust can be circular, but the pie may also have a crumble crust or no top crust.
America Discovers Blueberry Pie
The first American settlers brought their eating habits with them. So, the Europeans and possibly the Norwegians brought the blueberry pie recipe. Since the state of Maine grows the largest amount of wild blueberries in America, the Native Americans introduced this berry to Europeans. As a result, the heirs of the first colonists began to bake a pie stuffed with fresh blueberries and sweetened it with maple sugar. early American colonists, who called the blueberries “star berries” because the blossom end of each berry looks like a five-pointed star.
Within modern borders, this tradition has survived in the states of Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina and Minnesota.
The first recipe for a Blueberry Pie was printed in 1864 in Miss Leslie’s New Cookery Book. It called for a rich crust, made of butter, cream and eggs. The blueberry filling was cooked on the stovetop with sugar and flour, then poured into the crust and baked.
During World War II, wild blueberry production increased to help support our troops overseas who were craving this delicious dessert! In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared blueberry pie as the national dessert of America. This was likely in honor of Maine becoming the first state to make it their official state dessert in 1965.
National Blueberry Pie Day
National Blueberry Pie Day is celebrated annually on April 28th. This holiday was created to honor one of the most famous desserts in America: blueberry pie! The date was selected because it is the peak season for blueberries in most parts of the country.
There are many different ways to celebrate National Blueberry Pie Day. You can make your own blueberry pie from scratch, or you can buy one from your favorite bakery. You could also visit a nearby farm and pick your own berries to use in the recipe!
Blueberry Pie Variations
Today there are many different variations on how you can enjoy blueberry pie including: French Canadian style (made with cornstarch instead of flour), New England style (with sour cream or buttermilk added) and even Southern Style which uses less sugar than other recipes do.
How many Blueberry Pie Recipes Are There?
There are hundreds of different blueberry pie recipes out there, but the most notable one is probably the Blueberry Slab Pie recipe featured on Food Network’s website. It has all-purpose flour, sugar and salt for ingredients needed to make crust; unsalted butter as well as an egg yolk used in filling mixture along with some cinnamon powder (optional). You can also add lemon juice if desired or not at all!
The Great British Bake Off is a popular cooking show in the UK, which includes blueberry pie as one of its challenges during season five. One contestant made theirs using fresh fruits instead of dried ones like most people do nowadays so they could get more flavor out of each bite!
Blueberry Pie recipe
To celebrate National Blueberry Pie Day bake up a blueberry pie. While you’re at it, bake two and give one away. We even have a recipe for you to try.
Ingredients:
- Double pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
- About ¾ cup sugar, depending on your taste (you can use less if you like tart pies)
- The equivalent of about ½ a cup of flour
- Dash of salt
- Zest and juice from half a lemon
- About 2 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put one pie crust in the bottom of an ungreased pie pan. Mix together the sugar, flour and salt. Stir in the lemon zest and juice until well blended. Add the blueberries and toss gently to coat. Pour mixture into pie shell. Cover with second crust and seal edges. Cut slits in top of crust to let steam escape during baking.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 35-45 minutes or until golden brown on top (covering the edges with aluminum foil if they get too dark). Always cool completely before slicing into it!
Final Remarks
Blueberry pie is a delicious, comforting dessert that has been enjoyed for generations. We hope you have learned some interesting facts about this tasty dish and we invite you to share your stories with us on social media. Thank you so much for reading today’s blog post and enjoy the rest of your day!