Cherry Pie Day is a tasty food holiday celebrated each year on February 20.
Cherry Pie Day
No one appears to know the origin of Cherry Pie Day, but it is certainly a yummy subject to celebrate.
The designated date is February 20, appropriately close to the annual President’s Day holiday. Since George Washington - he of the “I cannot tell I lie, I cut down the (cherry) tree” myth - is one of the presidents honored on President’s Day, and since Washington’s birthday is February 22, the Cherry Pie Day date is well chosen. Cherries also were one of Washington’s favorite fruits. Bet you didn’t know that! 🙂
Fun Facts About Cherry Pie
- Cherry Pie came to America with the first English settlers.
- Here in the U.S., we often refer to cherry pie as a “great American dish.
- Cherry Pie’s popularity is second only to Apple Pie.
Personal Stories About Cherries
*My hubby’s birthday is February 23rd and his favorite dessert is cherry pie. Therefore, instead of a birthday cake, I always make him a cherry pie for his birthday.
*This personal story is more about the ‘cherry tree’ myth associated with George Washington and being the first U.S. President. When my son, Greg, was 4-years-old he attended nursery school. One day when I picked him up from school I asked him what he learned that day. He said they learned all about George Washington and presidents.
Greg’s description:
George Washington cut down a cherry tree. And when he grew up, he was President Ford.
(This was in February 1974 when Gerald Ford was the U.S. President and it was the time of George Washington’s birthday. A garbled translation of the lesson by a 4 year old. :)
*When my sister and brother-in-law purchased their starter home, they were delighted to discover a thriving cherry tree in the backyard. The first season the cherries were ripe, my sister went on a cherry-picking chore one afternoon before the birds ate all the cherries on the tree. She admits she probably ate as many cherries as she picked, finding them delicious right off the tree. A few hours later she broke out in hives. Come to find out, she was allergic to cherries. After that day, she decided to let the ‘birds’ have the cherries. LOL.
But I digress…. Back to cherry pies and this funny, but fun food holiday.
Cherry Pie Recipes
Many cherry pie recipes are available on the internet. A search online allows you to choose the one you like the best. The one I found that’s super-easy is from the blog Tastes Better From Scratch by Lauren Allen. Lauren calls her recipe 'Easy Homemade Cherry Pie'.
You can either use fresh cherries (tart varieties are best for pie) or canned cherry filling. Canned cherries are always in season, although fresh cherries give your pie a super fresh taste.
Homemade pie crusts work better than store-bought because the frozen ones are too thin for a cherry pie that requires a longer baking time than other types of pies.
Use one pie crust to line the pie pan and another to cut into strips for the top. A lattice-work crust design looks so pretty on a cherry pie.
Cornstarch is used to thicken the cherry sauce for the pie. Sugar is used for the sweetener. Less sugar is used if you are using canned cherry pie filling, of course.
Bake the pie at 400 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.
Quite the simplest and easiest pie to make – and super delicious!
Summary
Cherry Pie Day is just one of the many, many Pie Days we celebrate throughout the year. Check out this National Pie Day Review for a complete list of all kinds of yummy pie days.
Additionally, cherry-lovers can enjoy the whole month of February as National Cherry Month and July 15 as National Cherry Day. Or attend a delightful cherry-related event, such as the National Cherry Festival held each July in Traverse City, Michigan, or visit Washington DC in the Spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
National Cherry Pie Day
February 20
*National Cherry Pie Day review written by Wednesday Elf
*Image Sources: Pixabay & Amazon
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