Created by the American Pie Council, National Pie Day on January 23 is dedicated to the celebration of pie, and is a great time to pass on the love and enjoyment of pie eating and pie making to future generations. After all, what could be more American than (apple) pie?
What’s that you say? Never heard of National Pie Day? For the life of me I can’t find it now, but I read sometime back somewhere that Crisco started the tradition in 1985 as a way to promote their products for use in the crusts, but when I tried to find it again to link to it, well, I just couldn’t. Anyhow, should you doubt the validity of my claim, just go here to check for yourself.
I first heard of it about five years ago when daughter #2 was still a graduate student at the University of Texas in Austin. She and her circle of friends that grew wider by the year held a pie party around this time every year. As their guest list got longer and the number of pies multiplied, she tells me the parties got better and better. She’s starting a new pie party tradition in New York this year.
The older I get, the less I enjoy cooking for lots of people I don’t know well, but I’ve been feeling for a long time that it’s time Hubby and I had people over. So I decided I throw my own pie party to coincide (roughly) with the pie council’s designated National Pie Day (Jan. 23) on Sunday the 20th because both our daughters will be here to enjoy it with us that day.
I went to www.evite.com and chose a design (mmm, PIE) and filled in all the fields and then listed the email addresses of people I wanted to invite. Evite sent out the invitations, and as people RSVP back on the invite site they list the kind of pie they will contribute to the occasion, dessert/sweet or dinner/savory. Then everyone can see what the other guests are planning to bring and plan accordingly, so that we won’t be eating all dessert pies after the green salad (a mere formality) we’ll begin with.
Doesn’t it sound like fun? A dinner party without a lot of fuss and worry over who can eat what. The more invitees, the more variety and the more likely everyone will be able to find something that satisfies. At the end of the party, we’ll have plenty of paper plates and foil so that everyone can wrap up any leftovers to take home.
If I haven’t convinced you that having a pie party is a good idea, go here for a fun pie facts, or here to pie central for pie recipes and tips for making better crusts. Now, just in case you’re stubborn (like me) here’s something to watch that make get your juices bubbling:
My Wintersong 
This will actually be the 2nd Pie Party in NYC. There have also been other pie parties elsewhere, held by relocated Austinites in Michigan and St. Louis. Turns out, Pie Day isn’t much of a hard sell, which is really a testament to the universal appeal of pie.
Ben and I are trying to think of vegetarian savory pies for dad. My lamb pie was really tasty last year, so meatless is a bit of a challenge (but one that we’re excited about!)
The next step is to ask people to write Pie-ku for or at the party–that is, haiku poems about pie. I find it almost as good as eating pie.
I love the idea of a pie party. What a fun way to entertain and without all the work of feeding your guests. With everyone bringing some kind of a pie, it offers a variety to accommodate everyone’s personal tastes. Love, love, love the concept!
Vim, I thought you had a pie party last year but I wasn’t certain. And I do love the idea of the Pie-ku writing at the party. We have some pretty smart people on the guest list, so it might work. If you want to make the lamb pie, feel free. Monisha has a savory in mind, so I’m sure your dad will have plenty of options.
Jan, I’m glad you like the idea, too. You’re also right about entertaining without the work. By the time I get the house spiffed up and the picture windows washed, I think I’ve done enough for the guests. Let everybody share the work, right? I think it’ll work well for me.
Thanks to both for commenting.
This sounds perfectly delightful, after I am mucho thinner. I am still just barely starting my WW and don’t dare think PIE. How I love pie. Thank you tho. 🙂