The Twelve Months of Pie by Fran Joyce

Whenever I hear “The 12 Days of Christmas,” it always reminds me of math class. Every year, we were tasked to calculate how many items were received each day and the total number of items received in those 12 days. It was a lot of fun and the sheer impossibility of fitting 12 trees, multiple feathered creatures (partridges, turtle doves, hens, calling birds, geese, and  swans), men and women ( maids, dancing ladies, Leaping lords, pipers, and drummers) not to mention the cows, goose eggs and golden rings under a Christmas tree always made me laugh. And, where will all those swans be swimming?

NIMBT – Not in My Bath Tub!

I recommend doing the math. It’s a fun activity guaranteed to shake off some mental cobwebs and if you’re like me you’ll be smiling thinking about where to hide all those nests so nobody dances or leaps and lands on the eggs.

I started wondering what I would want 12 of and the perfect thought came to me. Since there are 12 months in the year – one pie a month equals 12 pies. I want the Twelve Months of Pie!

To select the pie of the month, I looked to see which fruits or nuts were available in which months and checked each month. What important events occurred during each month? Were any pies associated with those celebrations? I tried to stick with the most popular pies and I gave a nod to color.

Listed below are my choices which I made with a little help from my son. Each pie comes with a picture and some general info, but no recipe. That’s where you come in.

Calling all bakers!

I will be featuring the pie of the month for all of 2020. Send me your original recipe or your favorite recipe credited to the cookbook or website it was taken from. Original recipes will be printed. Borrowed recipes will be credited to the specific cookbook, chef or linked to the blog or website you got them from. If you made changes to the recipe, let us know what and why. No cheating! Claiming a recipe as your own is not fair to the person who created it. Also send us your original photos in JPEG form with your finished pie and feel free to snap a few work in progress photos.

If you have kids who enjoy baking include them. Send your recipes, original photos and comments to fran.thisawfulawesomelife@gmail.com.

On the subject heading of your email, Please include your name and Pie of the month: ex. Pat Jones - April: French Silk Pie. You must send them at least one month before the feature month, the sooner the better. If you love to bake, you can contribute each month.

In December, we will select one lucky baker who will receive a gift from Pampered Chef.

January – Cream Pie, Coconut or Banana?*

Place of Origin: United States and Germany

Basic Ingredients: milk, cream, flour, sugar, eggs, bananas and vanilla wafer cookies or shredded coconut in a standard pie crust topped with whipped cream

I selected a cream pie for January because most fruits are not in season; however, bananas and coconuts are in season year round. Also the tropical flavors are just the thing to brighten a dreary winter day.

Photo:  Coconut Cream Pie - https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coconut_cream_pie.jpg.

Banana Cream Pie - courtesy of Pampered Chef

February – Cherry Pie*

Place of Origin: Europe and North America

Basic Ingredients: cherries (usually tart cherries), sugar, and cornstarch in a standard pie crust often with a lattice top; usually served with whipped cream or vanillas ice cream.

Cherries are harvested in mid-summer which makes cherry pie a popular choice for Canada Day and American Independence Day in July, but given the dearth of available pie worthy fruits in February, I chose to honor George Washington and celebrate Valentine’s Day by selecting a cheery red cherry pie.

Photo: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cherry_pie_with_lattice,_February_2008.jpg

March: Lemon Meringue Pie*

Place of Origin: Lemon pies can be traced back to medieval times, but meringue was not perfected until the 17th Century. The first recorded recipe combining Lemon pie and meringue is credited to Alexander Frehse, a Swiss baker from Romandy (Western Switzerland).

Basic Ingredients: Pie filling: egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, sugar and starch. Meringue: well beaten egg whites and sugar. This mixture is cooked on top of the pie filling.

Lemons are in season in March and Lemon Meringue Pie reminds me of a blanket of white snow and the warm yellow sun we are all so anxious to see again.

Photos: free use

April: French Silk Pie*

Place of Origin: French Silk Pie is actually American. In 1951, Betty Cooper won a contest for her Ice Box Pie. As this type of pie gained popularity, the chocolate pudding was exchanged for chocolate mousse. The silky texture of the filling inspired the name.

Basic Ingredients: Unsweetened chocolate, butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs in a traditional pie crust and topped with whipped cream

I chose this pie for April because most fruits are not yet in season and any month is a perfect month for chocolate.

Photo: https://images.app.goo.gl/e686QuiG7y1YYUbb9

May: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie*

Place of Origin: North America - Rhubarb is a vegetable originating in Western China. It arrived in North America by way of Europe in the early 1700’s. A Maine gardener is credited with planting the first seeds in America. Within 25 years, rhubarb became a popular pie ingredient in the colonies and it was nicknamed “the pie plant.”

Basic Ingredients: strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, salt, cornstarch, unsalted butter, and egg wash for a traditional lattice crust garnished with clear sparkling sugar. Delicious with vanilla ice cream

Strawberry rhubarb is a personal favorite of mine and it’s the perfect pie for a spring cook out when paired with fresh vanilla ice cream.

Photo: Strawberry Rhubarb Filling for pie - https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Filling_of_strawberry-rhubarb_pie,_April_2010.jpg

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie - https://images.app.goo.gl/5wy6yv6XHFDbKRkr7

June: Razzleberry Pie*

Place of Origin: North America -Razzleberry Pie is a variation on Mixed Berry or Triple Berry Pie. It contains raspberries and blackberries, but no blueberries. Razzleberry is a made up term from the 1962 movie, Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol which became a popular word in pop culture before it was used to name this pie in the 1990’s.

Basic Ingredients: raspberries, blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, salt, cornstarch and egg wash for a traditional crust. Delicious with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Okay, I really like the name, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to feature a pie for my birthday month with two of my favorite fruits.

Photo: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Razzleberry_pie_-_01.jpg

July: Blueberry Pie*

Place of Origin: North America

Basic Ingredients: blueberries, flour, or instant tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, vanilla and butter

Blueberry pie is the perfect choice for the July celebrations, Canada Day and American Independence Day (4th of July).

Photo: https://images.app.goo.gl/KGLj34aif5V9ifWYA

August: Peach Pie*

Place of Origin: Peaches are native to Northwest China. The first peach pies were probably made in Europe and I like it think perfected here in North America.

Basic Ingredients: peaches, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, salt, cornstarch, milk and egg with a traditional crust. Sere with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

August is National Peach Month, so this choice was obvious.

Photo: https://images.app.goo.gl/Qp7FiPbTVB2roD89A

September: Key Lime Pie*

Place of Origin: Key West, Florida, U.S.A.

Basic Ingredients: key lime juice, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk – this pie can be made with a traditional crust or a graham cracker crust.

Growing up in Florida, our Key Lime Pies always had traditional crusts and we never skimped on the whipped cream. I selected this pie for September because it’s perfect for Labor Day – the last hurrah of summer.

Photo: taken from my personal photos – this pie was made by The Pie Place in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, https://thepieplace.net/

October: Apple Pie*

Place of Origin: England

Basic Ingredients: apples, sugar, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, butter and a traditional pie crust brushed with egg whites

October is Apple Month and what’s better than fresh Granny Smith Apples baked in a delicious pie?

Photo: Caramel Upside Down Pie slice courtesy of Pampered Chef

Apple pies are fair use photos

November: Pumpkin Pie*

Place of Origin: Pumpkins are native to North America. Early settlers in Canada and the American colonies made savory pumpkin pies in the pie shell before they began making the sweeter variety of pie in a crust that we make today. Pumpkins were exported to France and quickly found their way to England where they were put in pies.

Basic Ingredients: puréed pumpkin, eggs, light brown sugar, half and half, cinnamon cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, salt in a traditional pie crust with no top. Serve with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream

Pumpkin pie is a tradition at many American tables for Thanksgiving. Who am I to tamper with success?

Photos: free use

December: Pecan Pie*

Place Of Origin: Southern United States – French settlers in New Orleans are believed to have made the first Pecan Pies as a variation of traditional Chess pies after being introduced to pecan nuts by Native Americans.

Basic Ingredients: pecans, unsalted butter, light corn syrup, salt, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, grated orange zest and eggs in a traditional  crust with no top – serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

I selected Pecan pie as the perfect finish to The Twelve Months of Pie. It’s nutty and sweet and can be baked a day ahead and warmed just before serving.

Photo: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pecan_pie_slice_(cropped).jpg

*All Images for this article were obtained with no intent to commit copyright infringement.