Why the Saying Should Be As American as Pumpkin Pie, Not Apple

I think we should be saying as American as pumpkin pie

When life gives you pumpkins, make pie.

—a play on Elbert Hubbard’s words

Pie is revered in the modern American household. Juicy apples mixed with sugar and cinnamon make much-anticipated appearances in the kitchen throughout fall and winter. Rich, creamy spiced pumpkin and sweet potato pies are delivered on Thanksgiving. Deep burgundy red cherry pies are served on Christmas.

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

We’ve all heard the phrase countless times before: As American as apple pie. Many people never question it. Apple pie is on the menu at most American diners and Normal Rockwell featured the dessert in several of his illustrations. It’s unmistakably American—and yet that well-worn cliche isn’t historically accurate. When you dig into the history of the earliest days of the American colonies you’ll find that the pie most connected to this country’s roots is pumpkin, not apple.

Pumpkin © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Pumpkins are native to North America. Columbus wrote about pumpkins he saw from his voyages and brought some back as did subsequent explorers so people in Europe were familiar with them as early as 1492. Pumpkins and other squash were some of the first crops colonists planted when settlers arrived in America in 1621.

And then there’s pie. There’s been a love for pie in North America from the very first settlers to their present-day ancestors. Early settlers cut up pretty much anything that could grow, baked it between two pieces of crust, and called it a pie. Culinary tastes of the era meant that almost all vegetables grown in the colony were baked in a pastry crust.

Pie generally meant something a little more savory. Tarts were dishes where they added lots of sugar. That was the difference between a pie and a tart in the 17th century.

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A matter of fillings

Pumpkin, not an apple, was the dominant pie filling in the early American colonies as apple orchards hadn’t been planted yet. New England without apples is difficult to picture but the first decade of the Plymouth colony was mostly appleless.

Related article: How as American as Apple Pie Came to Be

William Blaxton planted the first apple seedlings trees soon after he arrived in Weymouth, Massachusetts just south of present-day Boston in 1623.

Pumpkin patch © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Once apples were abundant in the colonies, pie recipes popped up that combined sliced apples and pumpkins with butter and a little spice. These original pies, however, were more vegetable-heavy. They used sliced pieces of pumpkin or squash mixed with spices and butter and then baked in a pastry crust. Pumpkin pies with a whipped, fluffy texture became widespread after the advent of Libby’s canned pumpkin puree in the early 20th century.

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

How pumpkin pie was traditionally served

Pumpkin pie in the 21st century is relegated to dessert—a savory and sweet cap to an already decadent meal. Thanksgiving seems incomplete without it.

But pies weren’t reserved for special occasions in the pilgrim household. Meals were served family style and pies were set out with the rest of the main courses rather than being presented at the end of the meal. Once the family sat down to eat the pies weren’t sliced, either.

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

When you served a pie in the 17th century you’d cut the top crust off, scoop out the filling, and then you’d take little bits of crust to go with it. So pie acted like a container to hold the rest of the filling in.

About that crust: There seems to be some confusion about the uses of early pie crust. New England’s early settlers called pie crust pastry or paste and typically the ingredients were simple: hot or cold water depending on the type of pie, butter, and flour. These crusts, sometimes known as the coffyn became rock hard during the baking process leading to the misconception that the crusts were tossed into the garbage once the filling had been consumed. America’s settlers, however, were much more industrious and recycled the pastry for future use.

Pumpkin patch © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

You would eat the pastry with the next meal with broth to soften the pastry. You didn’t throw it away. Because when people go through all the trouble to grow food like wheat or rye or other grains and harvest it by hand and thresh it and grind it, they aren’t going to throw it away. They might not feed it to the lord of the manor but somebody is going to eat it.

Related article: Julian Is World Famous For Apple Pies

The term coffin might sound off-putting when applied to your dinner but it simply described the pie as a basket or box. This dining method proved popular throughout medieval Europe. For one, it required no additional dishes and could be eaten by hand, no utensils needed. And that’s not the coffin pie’s only practical purpose.

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

In Janet Clarkson’s book, Pie: A Global History, she writes that this hefty pastry case served as a container similar to a lunch box. It was a way for people to both transport their food and preserve it (especially important before refrigeration when people needed a way to make their food last). Sometimes, the baker carved a hole in the top of the crust and poured melted fat into the hole to act as a seal against intruding air thus keeping it fresh for an extended period.

Pastry crust didn’t catch on in America until the 1640s, however, when the settlers began growing wheat and rye in the colonies. Maize, the corn favored by the Native American people already living on the land the pilgrims had colonized made soggy pastry that fell apart. So, for the first 15 years, the colonies operated there was no crust made in New England—and therefore very few pies.

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

However, there was one exception: When the long-serving governor of the Plymouth Colony William Bradford married in 1623, rye from England was used to make 12 venison pies.

Even before pie crust became commonplace what the pilgrims did not do was bake pumpkin pies inside a hollowed-out pumpkin. This cooking method is a widespread myth, plain and simple.

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

This misconception might stem from a 16th-century source who wrote that pumpkins the size of an acorn squash were hollowed out then sliced bits of pumpkin and apple were added and baked together. The real dish would have looked and tasted more like an acorn squash side dish, not a sweetened pumpkin pie. But even so, there is no record of that dish even being cooked in the colonies, only in 17th century England.

Related article: 8 Creative Ways to See Some Fall Color

That’s very different than taking this giant field pumpkin and hollowing it and pouring in four quarts of cream and a pound of sugar and baking that forever and a day.

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

As American as pumpkin pie

Pies were undoubtedly a major part of the cuisine in the New England colonies. Until Amelia Simmons published her cookbook in 1796—the first cookbook written in America by an American—reprints of cookbooks from England where pies had long been a staple dish circulated in the colonies. The pilgrims ate plenty of pies, just not apple pie.

Related article: Top 8 Tips for Planning a Road Trip this Thanksgiving and throughout the Holiday Season

Pumpkins © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

It would take a little more than 20 years after the first successful colonies before apples appeared in pies or anything else. America’s earliest settlers filled their pies with what grew most abundantly in their backyards and that was a pumpkin. So next time you’re thinking about celebrating America, pull out the pumpkin pie recipe you’d usually save for Thanksgiving. 

Related article: Thanksgiving & Staying Safe

Worth Pondering…

The pumpkin lies yellow beneath the cold skies, it’s luscious and mellow and ready for pies.

—Walt Mason, The Pumpkin

O’ pumpkin pie, your time has come ’round again and I am autumnrifically happy!

—Terri Guillemets

But see in our open clearings how golden the melons lie; enrich them with sweets and spices and give us the pumpkin-pie!

— Margaret Junkin Preston

I picture pumpkins at a farmer’s market piled happy and high awaiting a new home where children will carve them into scary faces or mothers will bake them into pie or stew.

—Jenny Gardiner, Slim to None

The pumpkin is a uniquely American plant, widely regarded as one of the most magical plants in all the world.

—Seth Adam Smith, Rip Van Winkle and the Pumpkin Lantern

Advice from a pumpkin: be well-rounded, get plenty of sunshine, give thanks for life’s bounty, have thick skin, keep growing, be outstanding in your field, think big.

— Unknown

8 Creative Ways to See Some Fall Color

The trees, the leaf-covered lawns, and the early frosts! There are bonfires with a cup of hot cider, pumpkin carving, and corn mazes to explore. Do we have your attention yet?

You already know that the countryside is filled with trails and vistas that provide great opportunities to catch a glimpse of fiery fall color while you’re hiking. This year, get your thrills while you’re enjoying the season with these eight activities.

Seven Oaks Market, Central Point, Oregon © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Pumpkin picking

Whether Halloween eve brings trick-or-treaters door to door or not, pumpkin-picking, carving and baking are guaranteed fall fun. It wouldn’t be autumn without a trip to the pumpkin patch. Keeping social distancing in mind, plan an excursion when the crowds are less to take in all that many of the area’s fall attractions have to offer. Vast selections of pumpkins are also available from farm stands and markets.

Apples along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Apple picking

Choose from a variety of apple orchards in your area to find the best apple picking near you. Some of the apple orchards only offer apple picking while others have fall festivals with other activities in addition to picking your own apples. Apple picking will look a little bit different this year—timed entries and reduced capacities will be the norm—but luckily, one element that’s not affected are the apples themselves. Most farms will still be open to visitors this fall with many of them offering markets with pie and apple cider (both the doughnuts and beverage kind) along with attractions like petting zoos, hay rides, and corn mazes. So grab your mask, and check out an apple orchard in your area.

Corn maze, Elkhart, Indiana © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Navigate a corn maze

The corn maze is a real challenge that is sure to put your skills to the test as you wind down trails of corn. Some annual corn mazes are canceled due to the pandemic but others are moving forward with the beloved autumn tradition. Assume masks are required and that you should stay home if you feel symptoms or have been exposed to an infected person. Keep social distancing protocols in mind. Check websites for ticketing procedures.

Hay ride coming up! © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Hayrides

Hayrides are a popular fall tradition that is enjoyed by all ages and are a wonderful way to enjoy the season and the natural beauty that it brings. Some hayrides feature scenic views of endless land while others take you through acres of cornfields. A wonderful way to capture the breath-taking views that autumn offers, hay rides will forever be a part of this favorite season. Some farms have opted to do away with the traditional hay ride, while others are limiting riders and socially distancing.

Hiking Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Go hiking

Lace up your boots and be prepared to be wowed with a scenic fall hike. This fall, as the air turns crisp and the rolling hills change from mottled green to a fiery mosaic of yellow, orange, and red, get into the woods, as autumn is prime time for hiking. The worst of the pesky bugs have disappeared with the heat and the forests are ablaze with color.

Canoeing in Stephen C. Foster State Park, Georgia © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Go canoeing

One of the best ways to see fall foliage is to take a boat trip along a wilderness stream. You can see the autumn colors from the river as you kayak or canoe for a day. Plan your perfect scenic kayaking and canoeing adventure!

Rio Bend RV and Golf Course, El Centro, California © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Plan a golf outing

If you’re inclined to spend some time on the links then you’ve probably been taking advantage of the wide open courses this summer. If not, or if you want to try giving it a swing, head to a local golf course to try while you take in the crisp fall air and beautiful foliage.

Driving Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Autumn drives

If you’re feeling an expedition to nature but want to observe from the comfort of your car there’s plenty of great fall drives you can take throughout the countryside. The trees, the leaf-covered lawns, and the early frosts! There are bonfires with a cup of hot cider, pumpkin carving, and corn mazes to explore. Do we have your attention yet?

Worth Pondering…

Days decrease,

And autumn grows, autumn in everything.

―Robert Browning

10 Best Things to Do this Fall

From hikes to scenic drives, day trips to weekend getaways, here are the best ways to get out and safely enjoy the season

As the air cools and the leaves start to fall, America offers countless experiences to seek out with your family and friends. From hikes to scenic drives, day trips to weekend getaways, take time to get out and enjoy the seasons best while keeping in mind the guidelines for safe travel.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, some seasonal events have been canceled. Disney World’s popular event Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party has been cut for 2020 as well as Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. While certain yearly Halloween traditions may be canceled this year such as visiting a haunted house you could still participate in other outdoor fall activities including pumpkin picking and navigating corn mazes.

Hiking to Clingmans Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Go hiking

Hopefully you’ve been taking a chance over the last few months to get outside for a breath of fresh air along a nice hike. But if you’re looking for a reason to finally break out the boots or sneakers, the multi-colored leaves and crisp air of fall provides the perfect backdrop to enjoy a wilderness area. Nature centers, recreation areas, local and state parks all offer a variety of trails and sights for hiking in the outdoors.

Pumpkin patch at Seven Oaks Market, Central Point, Oregon © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Visit a pumpkin patch

Explore a pick-your-own pumpkin patch for the perfect pumpkin! Vine-ripening pumpkins are perfect for Jack-o-Lanterns, decorating your home or RV, or baking Grandma’s famous recipes. Picking out your very own pumpkin, decorating it, and carving it is one of the very best parts of fall. Not only are pumpkins fun and festive, but they’re delicious to eat in so many ways! There’s nothing that signals fall quite like a trip to the pumpkin patch.

Pumpkins to trick out your RV © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Pumpkin carving

Just because we’re trying to keep our distance doesn’t mean we can’t decorate our homes and RVs. That of course, starts with pumpkin carving. Hopefully you’ve had some experience gouging out these gruesome gourds, but if not, there’s a host of designs online. This is a perfect activity with family and friends of all ages and also yields a good reason to roast some pumpkin seeds.

Picking apples along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Go apple picking

What perfectly pairs with the crisp air of fall? Biting into a delicious, juicy apple! When the crisp fall air and soft light descends, it’s time to break out your best argyle sweater and go apple picking. Enjoy the fresh fall air while you pick your own Cortland, Macintosh, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, and Honey Crisp apples then bring them home to make pies, crisps, and other treats. Check with apple orchard first for picking hours and conditions and COVID-19 rules and regulations.

Apple pies at Moms Pie House, Julian, California © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Fall food

With the end of summer we’re gearing up for shorter days, longer nights, cooler temperatures, colorful leaves, sweatshirts, and football. Not only is the weather changing but also the way we’re cooking, from using fresh fall produce, like squash, sweet potatoes, and apples, to creating warming (and, okay, gluttonous) comfort food dishes, like stews, pot pies, and mac and cheese.

Corn maze at Southgate Crossing, Elkhart, Indiana © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Get lost in a corn maze

Are you ready for some corn-fusing fun? Wind your way through acres of corn. Local corn mazes are now open and each one offers something a little bit different between now and November. Many corn mazes this year will have wider paths and additional passing lanes where maze-goers can distance themselves from others at points where they must decide which way to go; some are reducing the number of those decisions or eliminating dead-end options. Phone ahead as some mazes require pre-registration.

Indian corn for fall decorations © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Fall decorations

Along with pumpkins, there’s several ways you can dress up your RV for the fall. Buy some gourds at the grocery store or make a fall wreath with some of the fallen leaves from your hike in the country. If you’re a Halloween fanatic there’s no better time to spook your home-on-wheels.

Biking the Blue Ridge Parkway © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Plan a long bike ride

If you’re like most people, you either bought a new bike or rekindled your love of biking during the early months of quarantine. The leaves starting to turn and a nice bite to the air will keep you peddling longer. Most cities and towns have paved trails for bikers that range from short connecting rides to long excursions. It’s time to start planning your next trip.

Quilting is a popular hobby © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

New Hobbies

While fall can bring a lot of fun outdoor activities, it also harkens winter and months spent inside. So if you’ve got down time, now is a good time to start a new hobby? Start knitting scarves and toques for your family. Or maybe get on goodreads.com and join your friends in their mad dash to complete end-of-year book reading challenges.

Quilt Garden Trail in Amish Country, Indiana © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Check out your area’s calendar of events

For everything that doesn’t fall into one of these general categories, check out your area’s tourism website for upcoming events. There you may find movies under the moonlight, art installations, walking tours and much more.

Worth Pondering…

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.

—George Eliot

Visit a Spooky, Creepy, Weird & Haunted Place

Are you brave enough?

If you like bone-chilling, shriek-producing, history-inspired horrors, there are plenty of (allegedly) haunted places across the US that could provide the fright you seek on Halloween night.

Ghostly happenings © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

National Geographic, Travel Channel, and others have documented haunted happenings with just the right mix of awe and terror, convincing even disbelievers that ghosts just might be real.

Decorate with Halloween decor © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

If you’re looking for a scare that goes a little deeper than your local haunted house, there are dozens of spots from coast to coast you can visit. Think you’re brave enough?

The Dark Cell, Yuma Territorial Prison © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Pack up your RV and head for one of these super-spooky destinations:

  • Salem, Massachusetts, where the notorious Salem Witch Trials took place
  • The Dark Cell, Yuma Territorial Prison, Yuma, Arizona
  • The Shanghai Tunnels in Portland, Oregon, a series of underground passages originally used to move people and goods between storage areas
  • The Stanley Hotel in Estes, Colorado, which inspired the hotel in The Shining
  • The R.M.S. Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach, California
  • Galveston Island’s ghostly history makes it a top destination for spooky travel, from a haunted historic hotel to the island’s storied harbor, cemeteries, and Victorian mansions
  • Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, an antebellum plantation that’s allegedly one of America’s most haunted places
  • The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia
Ghostly happenings © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Bring back the tradition of ghost stories

You don’t have to go anywhere special in your RV to revel in some good old-fashioned horror. Turn up the terror around your next campfire with some scary storytelling this Halloween. Head for a campsite near or far, and get ready for a night to remember.

Decorate with Halloween decor © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

The dark of night and a crackling fire create the classic setting to weave a tale of Halloween fright. Tell your favorite spooky story from childhood. Get a group together and challenge your friends to see who can tell the spookiest story of all. And don’t be too scared—you can always retreat to the safety of your RV after the last tale is told.

Pumpkins, gourds, and Halloween decor © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Decorate your RV with Halloween décor

Enhance your ghost stories and get into the spirit with some Halloween-inspired decorations in your motorhome or trailer. Running into some fake spider webs in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night might be just what your family needs to feel the spirit of Halloween.

Ghostly happenings © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Dressing up in costumes also adds to the atmosphere—you can even get your pets in on the action. And don’t forget the jack-o-lanterns.

Pro tip: carving your pumpkins outside means less mess to clean up. Arguably the most important part of the perfect Halloween setup is the food.

Decorate with Halloween decor © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Trick-or-treat, camping style

Campgrounds across the country offer festivities throughout the month of October, adding a traditional twist to the holiday for those on the road. If you’re far away from the traditions you love about Halloween at home, seek out one of these campgrounds.

Pumpkins and Halloween in Amish Country © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

With activities for young and old alike, you can celebrate Halloween the way you always have with trick-or-treating, costume contests for kids and pets, Halloween parades, and hayrides.

Decorate with Halloween decor © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Whether you celebrate with paranormal encounters, costumes, pumpkin carving, or ghost stories, we want to wish you a happy Halloween—wherever your RV travels take you.

Worth Pondering…

I’m just a ghost in this house
I’m shadow upon these walls,
As quietly as a mouse
I haunt these halls.
—Allison Krauss, Ghost in This House