Midwest Pie: Recipes that Shaped a Region

A historical tour of midwestern pies that recalls when recipes were shared through faded note cards and junior league cookbooks.

New England may say it's the "Great American Pie Belt," but pie has a rich and varied history in the American Midwest too. Stop by any church or community event in the heartland today and you're likely to see as many types of pie on the dessert table as there are people who made them.

Midwest Pie highlights the treats, both sweet and savory, that have come to define this region. Here, you'll learn about bean pie's origins in the Nation of Islam, the popularity of "desperation pies" during the Depression, how Michigan miners ate lunch "pasties" in the mines, and much more. Full of accessible instructions and helpful sidebars, you'll learn the stories behind a variety of pies, including: