National Pie Day - 2013

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By Chef Terry

What is a Pie?

According to Wikipedia:

A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients.

Pies are defined by their crusts. A filled pie (also single-crust or bottom-crust), has pastry lining the baking dish, and the filling is placed on top of the pastry, but left open. A top-crust pie, which may also be called a cobbler, has the filling in the bottom of the dish and the filling covered with a pastry or other covering before baking. A two-crust pie has the filling completely enclosed in the pastry shell. Flaky pastry is a typical kind of pastry used for pie crusts, but many things can be used, including baking powder biscuits, mashed potatoes, and crumbs.

Pies can be a variety of sizes, ranging from bite-size to ones designed for multiple servings.

How many kinds of Pies are there?

There is no clear answer to that question, though some folks/organization have attempted to that question.  They ranged from nine to a million to infinite number of possibilities.

What is the best estimate on when Pies were known to be eaten?

While Wikipedia and other resource indicate that date being around 9500 BC, Egyptian – but as we begin getting a better understanding of other cultures, Native Americans, for example, Pies may have been around much earlier.

What your favorite pie says about you?

by Ericka Lynn , posted Nov 25 2011 3:58PM

Apple	Wholesome and a bit middle of the road, playing it safe.
Banana Cream	An overachiever who just wants to relax and not be in charge.
Blueberry	Outdoorsy and determined.
Cherry	Oversweet, in need of tartness and passion.
Chocolate	Suave, seductive, strong, addictive.
Coconut Cream	Probably a man seeking an exotic-lite escape from reality.
Lemon	Bright, energetic and sharp-tongued.
Mincemeat	An Anglophile who watches Masterpiece Theater, listens to NPR and fantasizes about being in England, sipping port with pie.
Peach	A sun worshiper who's found sunshine on a pie plate.
Pecan	Simple in your tastes and seeking more sweetness in life.
Pumpkin	Attached to your past but comfy in your present.
Rhubarb	Old-fashioned (or a total hipster).
Sweet Potato	Family-oriented with a real sense of Southern hospitality.

(Written by Food Network's Gale Gand.)

What is your favorite(s) kind of pie?

Pies have been family favorites for decades and there numbers significant as well as excellent eating with good friends and kin folks. Unsure that I could just have one favorite pie myself – there are so many that are just plain good.  I am sure to say thank you each and every time and look forward to the next one.  Please do not forget that wonderful scoop of ice cream with you pie. Yum!!!

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References and Links:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,different_types_of_pies,FF.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pies,_tarts_and_flans

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-pies

http://www.roundamerica.com/pie-list.htm

http://www.the-top-tens.com/lists/best-pies.asp

http://www.bourbonandboots.com/top-ten-southern-pies-and-cobblers/

Sweet Potato Month

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By Chef Diane,

Did your parents ever tell you about the tough time they had growing up?  My mother's story was she had to walk 10 miles, uphill, in the snow and carry hot sweet potatoes in her pockets to keep her hands warm, and then eat them for lunch.  She loves sweet potatoes, but only cookies them for the holidays.  She just likes them plain, with butter and topped with marshmallows.

When my dad started frying turkeys at Thanksgiving, he sliced sweet potatoes and fried them too, made chips.  Now you can even go to restaurants and order sweet potato fries too.  Seems to have been a big explosion in the awareness of sweet potatoes with good reason too.

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Did you know that the sweet potato ranks number one in nutrition?  Sweet potatoes are high in the following: beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin C; fiber, thiamine, niacin, potassium and copper. They are also a good source of protein, calcium, vitamin E.  Sweet potatoes rank highest in Vitamin A and beta carotene.  Vitamin A promotes good vision, especially in low light. It may also be needed for reproduction and breast-feeding. Vitamin A helps form and maintains healthy skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin. It is also known as retinol because it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by substances called free radicals. Free radicals are believed to contribute to certain chronic diseases and play a role in the aging processes.

My great state of Mississippi produces 19% of the country's total sweet potato crop.  Mississippi has about 150 farmers growing sweet potatoes on about 8,200 acres (33 km2), contributing $19 million dollars to the state's economy. Mississippi's top five sweet potato producing counties are Calhoun, Chickasaw, Pontotoc, Yalobusha, and Panola. The National Sweet Potato Festival is held annually the entire first week in November in Vardaman (Calhoun County), which proclaims itself as "The Sweet Potato Capital", they also elect a Sweet Potato queen who goes on to participate in the Miss Mississippi Pageant.

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Since sweet potatoes are being recognized all month, you have plenty of time to try them, try some new recipes, or eat sweet potato fries instead of regular fries.  Who knows you may like them better, they are better for you too.

Another way to eat them is in bread.  A friend of mine gave me her sweet potato bread recipe, so I’m sharing it with you.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Bread

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Ingredients:

• 3 Cups sugar
• 3 cups self rising flour
• 2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes (cook in microwave until done, scoop it out of the skin)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients well, pour in greased loaf pan, bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for an hour, or until done.

Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts (for one medium size sweet potato)

• Calories 130
• Fat 0.39 g
• Protein 2.15 g
• Net Carbs 31.56 g
• Dietary Fiber 3.9 g
• Calcium 28.6 mg
• Sodium 16.9 mg
• Potassium 265.2 mg
• Foliate 18.2 mcg
• Vitamin C 29.51 mg
• Vitamin A 26081.9 IU