NATIONAL CHERRY PIE DAY

NATIONAL CHERRY PIE DAY

Some pie lovers will be eating their favorite pie on February 20 during National Cherry Pie Day. Whether they eat it for breakfast, lunch or supper or a slice at every meal depends on just how much they love cherry pie!

#NationalCherryPieDay

While fruit pies have roots going back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, the first recorded cherry pie was allegedly baked for Queen Elizabeth I in the 1500s. Some legends even claim she was the one who invented the recipe, but we're not sure that's entirely true. It's also hard to imagine a Tudor queen in the kitchen making the perfect lattice top for her royal guests. 

According to the American Pie Council, cherry pie came to America with the first English settlers. The early colonists cooked their pies in long narrow pans calling them “coffyns” like the crust in England. Just as in Roman times, the early American pie crusts often were not eaten, but just designed to hold the filling during baking. It wasn't until the American Revolution that the term crust was used instead of “coffyn.”

You also can't talk about cherry pie in America without mentioning George Washington. The story we've all heard says a young George chopping down a cherry tree and confessing, "I cannot tell a lie." Unfortunately, that story is untrue and made up by a biographer named Mason Locke Weems to sell books after Washington died. What is true is cherries were Washington's favorite foods. Despite the lie Weems told, cherry pie has been an American favorite since. 

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CHERRY PIE DAY

• Visit your local bakery and give them a shout-out.
• Bake your favorite cherry pie at home.
• Teach someone to bake a cherry pie.
• Invite friends and family to enjoy a slice of cherry pie with you.
• And don't forget to share your deals and creations with us! We love to see how you celebrate! Use #NationalCherryPieDay to post on social media.
  

NATIONAL CHERRY PIE DAY HISTORY

Pull up a chair and have a slice of cherry pie with us while we continue to research the origins of this pie celebrating day.

Cherry Pie FAQ

Q. Which is more popular, apple or cherry pie?
A. Apple pie seems to be more popular than cherry pie according to the Internet.

Q. Can I use fresh or canned cherries to make cherry pie?
A. Either one can be used to make cherry pie. Canned cherries are always in season and are convenient. Fresh cherries, while more work, bring a fresh flavor to the pie.

Q. How many calories are in one slice of cherry pie?
A. One slice of cherry pie contains approximately 486 calories.