VINOD CHANDRASHEKHAR DIXIT
November 29th is celebrated as National Lemon Meringue Pie Day. Lemon cream pie is a Southern specialty which was first made in the 1920s, although lemon flavored desserts had emerged much ear- lier. Lemon cream pie is made with delicious lemon fla- vored curd typically served on a butter pie crust. Lemon cream pie is a popular dessert served in many restaurants and coffee shops. Lemon Cream Pie Day is a national event that is also known as Lemon Meringue Pie Day. It brings happiness among all the pie, cupcake, and bakery item lovers. Lemons just seem to be refreshing and delightful, no matter what kind of creative things are made with them-lemonade, lemon vinaigrette, lemon drizzle cake or lemon sorbet ice cream. Lemon Cream Pie Day was established to celebrate this beautiful, sweet, and tangy treat and all those who prepare it for our con- sumption.
In a 2021 search of several newspaper archives, CooksInfo was unable to locate any print mention of a Lemon Cream Pie Day being observed, either past or present. Today, a lemon pie in the Americas most often but not always signifies a lemon meringue pie, whereas in Europe, there are two distinct lemon and pastrybased desserts, which are generally referred to as tarts. A pie usually refers to a preparation that has a deeper pastry base, whilst a tart has a much shallower pastry base. It is said that the Lemon Pie took its entry into the world of recipes in the mid-1500s in Italy. It came into appearance in France first and then no looking back after 1600.
Between 1600 to now, some unknown food lover gifted us a recipe idea in which the lemon dessert was teamed up with the whipped cream. Since then the pie dish has been enjoying its stardom and we, its shining flavors.It is believed that the lemon custard that came to be known as lemon curd was first prepared in England by Protestant Quakers during the 18th century and that the recipe trav- elled to North America in 1774 with the Quakers or with the Shakers, a breakaway sect of the Quakers.According to some historians, the first recipe for lemon pie with a pastry base and lemon custard filling was written down in 1806 by Elizabeth Goodwell, an American cook in Philadelphia. Mrs Goodwell ran a pastry shop, where she also organised cookery lessons. One of her signature desserts was a tart filled with a rich lemon custard.
So for people who have never tasted or made a lemon meringue pie, or those who just feel like an excuse to enjoy its sweet tanginess can very well celebrate Lemon Meringue Pie withthe world today.
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