[Sca-cooks] Fruit pies?

[Tara Sersen Boroson]

Ok, I was watching the food channel (for those who know me and are 
appalled to hear that I was actually watching television at all, in my 
defense I was in a hotel room late at night with none of my usual 
accoutrement of Things To Do.)  They were doing this show of "Top 5 
lists" - like top five sticky foods, and junk like that.  They were 
giving "historical" information on many of the things they were 
covering, and it was very dubious history.  For instance, they rehashed 
the ubiquitous "spices to cover the flavor of rotten meat" story.

This made me question some of their other "historical" facts.  First, 
they claimed that fruit pies weren't invented until the 16th century.  
So, what are the earliest known references to fruit pies?

The other "fact" that made me raise an eyebrow was out of period for 
us.  They claimed that the pilgrims didn't make any pies with edible 
crusts, but that all crusts were the very hard kind used as baking 
vessels.  This practice has been discussed on this list in the past, so 
the fact that they may have used pastry crust in this way isn't in and 
of itself bothering me.  But, the idea that this was their exclusive use 
of pastry crust - or even primary use - makes me wonder.  That strikes 
me as a terrible waste of fat and flour for a society that had little to 
spare.

Any thoughts?

-Magdalena

-- 
Tara Sersen Boroson

You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him to find it for himself. - Galileo Galilei