Pies and Pastries

On the North American frontier, it was not uncommon for the pioneer housewife to bake 21 pies a week—one for every meal. Pies were so important to the settlers that in winter, when fruits were unavailable, cooks would bake pies for dessert out of whatever materials were available, such as potatoes, vinegar, and soda crackers.

Few of us today eat pie at every meal. Nevertheless, pies are still a favorite dessert. Most customers will order and pay a higher price for a piece of chocolate cream pie than for chocolate pudding, even if the pie filling is the same as the pudding and even if they leave the crust uneaten.