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Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies
IACP AWARD WINNER • A delicious and delightful narrative history of pie in America, from the colonial era through the civil rights movement and beyond.
From the pumpkin pie gracing the Thanksgiving table to the apple pie at the Fourth of July picnic, nearly every American shares a certain nostalgia for a simple circle of crust and filling. But America’s history with pie has not always been so sweet. After all, it was a slice of cherry pie at the Woolworth’s lunch counter on a cool February afternoon that helped to spark the Greensboro sit-ins and ignited a wave of anti-segregation protests across the South during the civil rights movement. Molasses pie, meanwhile, captures the legacies of racial trauma and oppression passed down from America’s history of slavery, and Jell-O pie exemplifies the pressures and contradictions of gender roles in an evolving modern society. We all know the warm comfort of the so-called “All-American” apple pie . . . but just how did pie become the symbol of a nation?
In Sweet Land of A History of America in 11 Pies , award-winning food writer Rossi Anastopoulo cracks open our relationship to pie with wit and good humor. For centuries, pie has been a malleable icon, co-opted for new social and political purposes. Here, Anastopoulo traces the pies woven into our history, following the evolution of our country across centuries of innovation and change. With corresponding recipes for each chapter and sidebars of quirky facts throughout, Sweet Land of Liberty is an entertaining, informative, and utterly charming food history for bakers, dessert lovers, and history aficionados alike. Ultimately, the story of pie is the story of America itself, and it’s time to dig in.
Includes Illustrations
From the pumpkin pie gracing the Thanksgiving table to the apple pie at the Fourth of July picnic, nearly every American shares a certain nostalgia for a simple circle of crust and filling. But America’s history with pie has not always been so sweet. After all, it was a slice of cherry pie at the Woolworth’s lunch counter on a cool February afternoon that helped to spark the Greensboro sit-ins and ignited a wave of anti-segregation protests across the South during the civil rights movement. Molasses pie, meanwhile, captures the legacies of racial trauma and oppression passed down from America’s history of slavery, and Jell-O pie exemplifies the pressures and contradictions of gender roles in an evolving modern society. We all know the warm comfort of the so-called “All-American” apple pie . . . but just how did pie become the symbol of a nation?
In Sweet Land of A History of America in 11 Pies , award-winning food writer Rossi Anastopoulo cracks open our relationship to pie with wit and good humor. For centuries, pie has been a malleable icon, co-opted for new social and political purposes. Here, Anastopoulo traces the pies woven into our history, following the evolution of our country across centuries of innovation and change. With corresponding recipes for each chapter and sidebars of quirky facts throughout, Sweet Land of Liberty is an entertaining, informative, and utterly charming food history for bakers, dessert lovers, and history aficionados alike. Ultimately, the story of pie is the story of America itself, and it’s time to dig in.
Includes Illustrations
336 pages, Hardcover
Published October 25, 2022
61 people are currently reading
4343 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
December 1, 2023
This book was not what it seems. It was supposed to be a history of America through pies, and it's called "Sweet Land of Liberty," with a cute graphic of a pie on the front. But what it really was is "A History of Racism in America." I am fine with the author writing a book about the history of racism in America, but don't disguise it as something else. I don't like to review political nonfiction, which is why I don't choose that genre, so when I pick a political book that is disguised as something else, it is annoying.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is volutunary and my opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is volutunary and my opinions are my own.
October 17, 2022
Sweet Land of Liberty is a history with some recipes. As a lover of food and a lover of weird deep dives into history, this is definitely up my alley. I appreciated that Anastopoulos acknowledges the limitations of her hook, but really embraces it. Her chapters cover social movements, race relations, gender roles, industrialization of food, marketing, identity, and national mythology as those things play out through pie. It took me a few flip throughs and chapters to settle into what Rossi Anastopoulos is doing here. Sweet Land of Liberty might frustrate readers interested in history and readers interested in recipes, but for curious readers willing to let Anastopoulos do her own thing, this will be rewarding. I have some complaints. I am genuinely disappointed that no recipe for chocolate haupia pie was included, and I would have loved some pecan pie recipes without Karo syrup. Pecan pie is my second least favorite pie because I really dislike the Karo syrup glop (my least favorite is raisin pie and I will never forgive the person who made that nightmare come true).
Rossi Anastopoulos starts with a politically fraught order of coffee and a slice of cherry pie – ordered by Ezell Blair Jr. at a Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1960. The pie became political and racially charged. Pie has been a weapon, sometimes literally, as when it was used to assault the protesters at the Woolworth’s counter, and in the 1990s and early 2000s when tofu cream pie (Chapter 11) was thrown by protesters. Every chapter was interesting in it’s own way. I would love to see this as a docuseries with each episode focusing on a pie, talking to historians, experts, and the people who make these pies in their homes or bakeries.
I made the sweet potato pie at the end of Chapter 4 – Abby Fisher’s Sweet Potato Pie, adapted from What Mrs. Fisher Knows about Old Southern Cooking (1881). The cookbook is the first authored by an African American. The chapter on sweet potato pie explores it’s roots in the traditions brought over with kidnapped Africans, and it reclamation by Black Americans. Every other sweet potato pie I have had was spiced with at least cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, but Mrs. Fisher’s pie has none of that, just zested orange and orange juice. It was delicious. The earthy sweetness of the sweet potato paired with vibrant sweetness of the orange was uplifting and homey.
I grew up in a family that really only had three pies – pumpkin pie and pecan pie (the Thanksgiving pies), and the strawberry rhubarb pie my maternal grandmother made with the rhubarb in her garden. We definitely were not a pie crust family -pie crust was something you could buy at the store. But I have spent a chunk of the last 20 years working on perfecting a pie crust so flakey it shatters and melts in your mouth. My grandmothers were professional women ( a psychologist and a librarian/English teacher) who were also expected to cook for their families and they resented it. My love of cooking and baking, my pursuit of the perfect pie crust, my food as a love language is all possible because I don’t have to cook. I am not required by gender or race to prepare meals for other people. The sweet potato pie I made last night was made to make my dinner companions happy, but also a way for me to connect hands on with uglier aspects of my nation’s history and present.
Rossi Anastopoulo knows, and her book reflects, that dessert is very important, especially in hard times. Pie is joy, love, and comfort. It’s also burdened with symbolism, history and politics. I was reminded of Sarah Vowel’s musings on the Starbuck’s café mocha,
Think about that the next time someone says “as American as apple pie.”
I received this as an advance reader copy from Abrams Press and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
Rossi Anastopoulos starts with a politically fraught order of coffee and a slice of cherry pie – ordered by Ezell Blair Jr. at a Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1960. The pie became political and racially charged. Pie has been a weapon, sometimes literally, as when it was used to assault the protesters at the Woolworth’s counter, and in the 1990s and early 2000s when tofu cream pie (Chapter 11) was thrown by protesters. Every chapter was interesting in it’s own way. I would love to see this as a docuseries with each episode focusing on a pie, talking to historians, experts, and the people who make these pies in their homes or bakeries.
I made the sweet potato pie at the end of Chapter 4 – Abby Fisher’s Sweet Potato Pie, adapted from What Mrs. Fisher Knows about Old Southern Cooking (1881). The cookbook is the first authored by an African American. The chapter on sweet potato pie explores it’s roots in the traditions brought over with kidnapped Africans, and it reclamation by Black Americans. Every other sweet potato pie I have had was spiced with at least cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, but Mrs. Fisher’s pie has none of that, just zested orange and orange juice. It was delicious. The earthy sweetness of the sweet potato paired with vibrant sweetness of the orange was uplifting and homey.
I grew up in a family that really only had three pies – pumpkin pie and pecan pie (the Thanksgiving pies), and the strawberry rhubarb pie my maternal grandmother made with the rhubarb in her garden. We definitely were not a pie crust family -pie crust was something you could buy at the store. But I have spent a chunk of the last 20 years working on perfecting a pie crust so flakey it shatters and melts in your mouth. My grandmothers were professional women ( a psychologist and a librarian/English teacher) who were also expected to cook for their families and they resented it. My love of cooking and baking, my pursuit of the perfect pie crust, my food as a love language is all possible because I don’t have to cook. I am not required by gender or race to prepare meals for other people. The sweet potato pie I made last night was made to make my dinner companions happy, but also a way for me to connect hands on with uglier aspects of my nation’s history and present.
Finally, pie is so powerful because, frankly, it’s pretty unnecessary. Unlike, you know, dinner, we only make and eat dessert because we want to. In times of hardship or stress—everything from war to revolution to poverty—there’s really no point in making dessert.
Rossi Anastopoulo knows, and her book reflects, that dessert is very important, especially in hard times. Pie is joy, love, and comfort. It’s also burdened with symbolism, history and politics. I was reminded of Sarah Vowel’s musings on the Starbuck’s café mocha,
Just the other day, I was in my neighborhood Starbucks, waiting for the post office to open. I was enjoying a chocolatey cafe mocha when it occurred to me that to drink a mocha is to gulp down the entire history of the New World. From the Spanish exportation of Aztec cacao, and the Dutch invention of the chemical process for making cocoa, on down to the capitalist empire of Hershey, PA, and the lifestyle marketing of Seattle’s Starbucks, the modern mocha is a bittersweet concoction of imperialism, genocide, invention, and consumerism served with whipped cream on top.
Think about that the next time someone says “as American as apple pie.”
I received this as an advance reader copy from Abrams Press and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
January 7, 2023
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway and am so happy I did! This book was excellent! Very well researched, fantastically written, and funny enough to keep me entertained and keep reading well past my bedtime! I did not expect to learn about the political role pie has played in nearly all aspects of America, from the Civil Rights Movement to US nationalism during the Cold War to the counterculture and feminist movements of the 60s and 70s. Who knew pie could play such an important political role?!
I thoroughly appreciated the care the author took to discuss in detail colonialism, racism, sexism, and other systematic issues that have plauged our country since before its beginnings. The author embodied the intersectional feminist reflection I appreciate when discussing history.
I'm not usually that big into food history, but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any more books by this author and I'll be recommending this to everyone I can. 10/10 !
I thoroughly appreciated the care the author took to discuss in detail colonialism, racism, sexism, and other systematic issues that have plauged our country since before its beginnings. The author embodied the intersectional feminist reflection I appreciate when discussing history.
I'm not usually that big into food history, but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any more books by this author and I'll be recommending this to everyone I can. 10/10 !
December 20, 2022
Pies? History? Where does one even start with that fantastic combination?
Anyone that knows me knows I love a good pie. I may not be able to bake them (or not well), but I do enjoy eating most pies. So when I was offered this book, I couldn't wait to dive in and learn the history of how some pies came about and the part that they play in our country's history.
There are 11 pies featured in this book: apple, pumpkin, molasses, sweet potato, pecan, chiffon, mock apple pie, Jell-o pie, bean pie, quiche, and tofu cream pie. Now, I'm sure you are looking at that list and recognize some but not all. That was me too. But as I dove into each chapter, I learned so much about how these pies came into existence. Some are more recent additions, like the Jell-o pie, and others have ties to events that divided us as a country, from racism to gender barriers.
While most of this book is the history of pies, never fear; there are recipes included. There is an all-butter pie crust recipe and at least one recipe from each of the 11 categories. I even know a blogger that made one of the pies crustless, and it looked divine.
While I am still making my way through each of the chapters, I am picking up nuggets of history that are fascinating and might make one think about pie in a whole new light.
Our past may not be perfect when it comes to what was represented regarding pie, but we can't change history. We can only learn from it and endeavor to do better. I do feel like the author blames us today for what happened in the past when it came to how sugar was cultivated, what recipes were or weren't included in cookbooks, and so forth. While it may not be right how certain people were treated 100+ years ago, we cannot change the past. Because of this perceived slant to the book, I deducted a paw and give this book 4 paws up.
Anyone that knows me knows I love a good pie. I may not be able to bake them (or not well), but I do enjoy eating most pies. So when I was offered this book, I couldn't wait to dive in and learn the history of how some pies came about and the part that they play in our country's history.
There are 11 pies featured in this book: apple, pumpkin, molasses, sweet potato, pecan, chiffon, mock apple pie, Jell-o pie, bean pie, quiche, and tofu cream pie. Now, I'm sure you are looking at that list and recognize some but not all. That was me too. But as I dove into each chapter, I learned so much about how these pies came into existence. Some are more recent additions, like the Jell-o pie, and others have ties to events that divided us as a country, from racism to gender barriers.
While most of this book is the history of pies, never fear; there are recipes included. There is an all-butter pie crust recipe and at least one recipe from each of the 11 categories. I even know a blogger that made one of the pies crustless, and it looked divine.
While I am still making my way through each of the chapters, I am picking up nuggets of history that are fascinating and might make one think about pie in a whole new light.
Our past may not be perfect when it comes to what was represented regarding pie, but we can't change history. We can only learn from it and endeavor to do better. I do feel like the author blames us today for what happened in the past when it came to how sugar was cultivated, what recipes were or weren't included in cookbooks, and so forth. While it may not be right how certain people were treated 100+ years ago, we cannot change the past. Because of this perceived slant to the book, I deducted a paw and give this book 4 paws up.
June 15, 2022
3.5 stars
Pie as a medium to examine American social history? A curious premise but it worked.
Pies cut across tastes, regions, and economic classes and often have ties to our memories and gatherings, and has come through our antecedents in other countries and cultures. Interesting tidbits abound, like how and when the crust began to be eaten along with the filling rather than it just being a receptacle or the causation between canning, branding, Karo corn syrup, and pecan pie.
The tone is a little too conversational for me. If it had been tightened up a I wouldn’t have found myself getting bored in certain chapters and having to come back to it. Some chapters were more cohesive than others and some are a bit of a stretch. Overall, it’s a charming read.
I received an arc from NetGalley
Pie as a medium to examine American social history? A curious premise but it worked.
Pies cut across tastes, regions, and economic classes and often have ties to our memories and gatherings, and has come through our antecedents in other countries and cultures. Interesting tidbits abound, like how and when the crust began to be eaten along with the filling rather than it just being a receptacle or the causation between canning, branding, Karo corn syrup, and pecan pie.
The tone is a little too conversational for me. If it had been tightened up a I wouldn’t have found myself getting bored in certain chapters and having to come back to it. Some chapters were more cohesive than others and some are a bit of a stretch. Overall, it’s a charming read.
I received an arc from NetGalley
August 3, 2022
American history told through pies! Anastopoulo takes the reader through 11 pies and how they relate to and were inspired by American history. I loved this book a lot! Maybe being a history teacher I'm a bit biased, but I found this such an interesting take on American history. I especially loved the first few chapters and the author's point about colonial America and indigenous peoples, slaves, etc. This book also features recipes after each section!
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2023
I was skeptical about tying pies to history. Skepticism unwarranted. The type of pie related to political, cultural, industrial, and natural studies was the perfect historical filling. I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this new look at history.
August 24, 2023
Learned a LOT about PIE. and of course, want to try ALL the recipes. INSPIRED
October 25, 2022
3.75 stars
I have to be honest…the cover sold me. American history told through pies? Sign me up! And this didn’t disappoint. If you love history and you love baking, look no further.
You will be taken on a ride through history, and not the whitewashed version you grew up on. As Americans, we need to be taught and understand that the country we have today was built on the backs of others. It was built by slaves on stolen indigenous land, and our history isn’t all holding hands around a campfire and sharing a harvest feast. Pie is a great receptacle for learning about America’s history, including the unsavory past. We have to acknowledge our past to truly move forward, and it’s created so many societal ties in our American culture.
This is a conversational way of getting history to the masses, because we also get great pie recipes throughout as well as at the end of each chapter. This was a humorous rendition of history, along with some great nostalgic recipes! My only complaint was I wanted more, but I wanted it to be less wordy and less conversational, since the narrative got a bit bogged down and felt much longer than it was.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Abrams Press for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!*
I have to be honest…the cover sold me. American history told through pies? Sign me up! And this didn’t disappoint. If you love history and you love baking, look no further.
You will be taken on a ride through history, and not the whitewashed version you grew up on. As Americans, we need to be taught and understand that the country we have today was built on the backs of others. It was built by slaves on stolen indigenous land, and our history isn’t all holding hands around a campfire and sharing a harvest feast. Pie is a great receptacle for learning about America’s history, including the unsavory past. We have to acknowledge our past to truly move forward, and it’s created so many societal ties in our American culture.
This is a conversational way of getting history to the masses, because we also get great pie recipes throughout as well as at the end of each chapter. This was a humorous rendition of history, along with some great nostalgic recipes! My only complaint was I wanted more, but I wanted it to be less wordy and less conversational, since the narrative got a bit bogged down and felt much longer than it was.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Abrams Press for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!*
December 9, 2022
At the end of her book, Rossi Anastopoulo writes to the reader, “I’m so glad, if still slightly terrified, that you’ve read these words and hopefully had a laugh and a deep think as a result. Happy baking (and eating)!” That’s exactly how I feel having just reached the last page. I laughed out loud several times—particularly in the chapter about the subversive, counterculture pie-in-the-face organizations that sprung up in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were dead serious, and at the same time hilarious. I loved the chapter about the origin of “real men don’t eat quiche” (I remember that book) and the whole idea of quiche as an indicator of one’s gender preferences. So many really thought-provoking insights all involving some kind of (mostly) delicious pie—I’m not sure I want to try the bean pie. I particularly loved the last chapter where she serves up what it really means to “be American as apple pie.” You’ll have to read it to find out. I need to get baking. Read this book.
October 20, 2022
(3.5/5) I've been really into microhistories lately and this book (a history of the United States in 11 pies, ranging from apple pie to Jell-O pie to bean pie) was a great read. The book was well-researched, funny, and insightful, and I loved that it included recipes at the end of the chapters. I may have to try baking a mock apple pie myself, I'm very curious! This book has gotten some hate in the reviews because "I wanted a book about pie and not about racism, etc. etc." but to say that ignores the actual social history of our country and how it's tied into so many aspects of our culture. I thought some parts could use some editorial tightening but overall an interesting read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2022
The book I didn’t know I always needed. I’ll be honest, I chose the book for the cover. I enjoy history, love pie and am a sucker for a cute cover, so why not?! But, what I got was a beautifully thought provoking reverie that took me through our American history. It isn’t pretty. It’s often painful. It’s raw and real and I really respect what Anastopoulo has done here. Pie is an ancient dish, and is tied to history in countries far beyond ours. But it’s a palatable way to consume and reflect on history, while learning something you maybe didn’t know before. What a pleasant surprise!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this amazing eARC in exchange for my review.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this amazing eARC in exchange for my review.
February 22, 2023
When I think of capitalism, politics, feminism or cultural movements I don’t think of pie but Rossi Anastopoulo has proved the correlation and then some. This was a fantastic book that follows the creation of America and the pies that left their mark throughout time. The level of research that went into this book is next level.
December 4, 2022
Telling the history of America through the history of pies is a really interesting concept. The early chapters of this book were more successful to me than the later chapters. Looking forward to baking some of these pies. Thanks to ABRAMS Books for a free copy won through a Goodreads giveaway.
February 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this book.
Some other reviews complain that it’s often a history of America that tells the story from those being oppressed. Those reviews make the reader seem a little racist. I will concede that the cover art and subtitle could make it more clear that this is the story of American Pies from disenfranchised communities/subcultures.
Some other reviews complain that it’s often a history of America that tells the story from those being oppressed. Those reviews make the reader seem a little racist. I will concede that the cover art and subtitle could make it more clear that this is the story of American Pies from disenfranchised communities/subcultures.
June 9, 2023
Read for our foodie book club
Very thorough history and origins of foods of America
Very thorough history and origins of foods of America
August 22, 2022
As an avid backer and pie lover, this book was a big disappointment. I am not a history lover and I do not want nor enjoy revisiting all the mistakes our ancestors have made. Which we currently continue to make with mistreatment of others and our own prejudice. I wanted to learn about the eleven types of pies, where they came from and how they got started. But it was berried so far into the text that I missed most of it. I have another book called The Book On Pie by Erin Jeanne McDowell. I use it all the time and I was hoping to be able to us this one in the same way, but can not.
I do want to thank Abrams Press and NetGally for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I do want to thank Abrams Press and NetGally for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 15, 2025
A book of fun facts about pie and (some?) American history. Not all encompassing. Also not written by a historian, I fear. But fun to remember that people have always just been looking to make something yummy to feed their loved ones.
November 3, 2025
I would have preferred more recipes and less preachiness. The book raises important topics that need their own space with a more serious take. I did not like the constant jokes and sarcasm.
October 26, 2022
I never imagined telling the history of a country based on food from that country. The idea intrigued me so much that I wanted to read this book. I found the history of the various pies quite interesting. I’m constantly amazed at the creativity that is built into people. On the other hand, this book seems bent on bashing Europeans. I do not recall any instances in this book in which Europeans were honest or did anything good. It felt like there is an unfair elevation of, and almost worship of, native Americans and African Americans, while at the same time Europeans were constantly put down. I also did not appreciate the denigration of women who chose to stay at home and be homemakers, compared with women who join the workforce. I was disappointed in those attitudes in this book, but at the same time, as I said, the history of the pies themselves was quite interesting.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
August 8, 2022
Rossi Anastopoulo’s Sweet Land of Liberty is a pop history food studies take on American pie. Anastopoulo peaks into US history in 11 chapters, each looking at a different pie (and she includes the recipes for those who want to go beyond imagining the flavors). The social and political history of pie in the would-be United States is supported by a treasure trove of primary sources and expert voices. Some of the history is dark, but Anastopoulo doesn’t sugar coat it, no pun intended.
I am clearly the target audience for this read; Anastopoulo’s conversational tones and parenthetical asides are in the voice of a millennial on the internet. That was fine for me, if a bit cheesy, but if you’re planning on gifting the book to your pie-baking grandma, she might not feel the same way.
The bevy of primary sources had a tendency to swallow Anastopoulo’s argument through chapters. While the information contained is interesting, the trajectory of the chapters got muddied in the details, making some chapters a bit of a slog. Meanwhile, other claims are undersupported or underresearched; for instance, the idea in the second chapter on pumpkin pie that “sweet tastes most modern Americans are used to wouldn’t have been incorporated into the Indigenous diet” is so oversimplified it is inaccurate. The diets of North America’s 18th-century Indigenous populations varied widely and were not completely devoid of sweetness. Even in New England, where this chapter is primarily focused, tribes like the Abenaki were using maple syrup to make sugar and candy. Sure they didn’t have the same kind of processed sugar as “most modern Americans,” but then, neither did the colonists.
I enjoyed Sweet Land of Liberty and picked up a lot of interesting details about the history of pie in the United States. It serves as an interesting angle through which to examine some of the darker aspects of US history, but it does rush through ideas, suffering from all the corresponding issues that can bring.
I received this title as an ARC from NetGalley
I am clearly the target audience for this read; Anastopoulo’s conversational tones and parenthetical asides are in the voice of a millennial on the internet. That was fine for me, if a bit cheesy, but if you’re planning on gifting the book to your pie-baking grandma, she might not feel the same way.
The bevy of primary sources had a tendency to swallow Anastopoulo’s argument through chapters. While the information contained is interesting, the trajectory of the chapters got muddied in the details, making some chapters a bit of a slog. Meanwhile, other claims are undersupported or underresearched; for instance, the idea in the second chapter on pumpkin pie that “sweet tastes most modern Americans are used to wouldn’t have been incorporated into the Indigenous diet” is so oversimplified it is inaccurate. The diets of North America’s 18th-century Indigenous populations varied widely and were not completely devoid of sweetness. Even in New England, where this chapter is primarily focused, tribes like the Abenaki were using maple syrup to make sugar and candy. Sure they didn’t have the same kind of processed sugar as “most modern Americans,” but then, neither did the colonists.
I enjoyed Sweet Land of Liberty and picked up a lot of interesting details about the history of pie in the United States. It serves as an interesting angle through which to examine some of the darker aspects of US history, but it does rush through ideas, suffering from all the corresponding issues that can bring.
I received this title as an ARC from NetGalley
December 13, 2022
Despite the casualness of the writing, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was hard-hitting, especially in the chapters about sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie, and bean pie. It was often funny, as in the Jell-O pie chapter. Apple pie provided the overarching theme for this book that tells each pie's history based on the time in society in which it was created. As a white Anglo-Saxon protestant born and raised in New England and raised with families descended from the Mayflower, I revere apple pie; not only for it's culinary artistry but because of the depth of its hold on our lives and traditions.
That reverence is now less than it was, but I doubt I will ever shake it completely. Even though I basically knew all there was about apple pie and probably knew that it did not deserve such reverence, I ignored the knowledge until it bludgeoned me over the head in this book. And pumpkin pie? My personal favorite? I will never be able to appreciate it as much as I have in the past. I will bake the original sweet potato pie recipe of the enslaved people. I may even bake a bean pie. I have made chiffon pies and sugar pies already but probably will not ever do so again.
Each year in school we make no-bake pies (Jell-O pies) for Pi Day. I thank the white patriarchy for creating these pies (but not for much else). They make Pi Day more fun and much easier and give the kids a chance to "bake" when they have never cooked before. So yes, I am contributing to mass consumerism in this country, just like the patriarchs from the fifties wanted me to do.
I had two disappointments when reading: Anastopoulo never mentioned Pi Day or gave us the low-down on Johnny Appleseed.
This is an important look at the social history of pie in our culture in the US. If you bake, read it.
That reverence is now less than it was, but I doubt I will ever shake it completely. Even though I basically knew all there was about apple pie and probably knew that it did not deserve such reverence, I ignored the knowledge until it bludgeoned me over the head in this book. And pumpkin pie? My personal favorite? I will never be able to appreciate it as much as I have in the past. I will bake the original sweet potato pie recipe of the enslaved people. I may even bake a bean pie. I have made chiffon pies and sugar pies already but probably will not ever do so again.
Each year in school we make no-bake pies (Jell-O pies) for Pi Day. I thank the white patriarchy for creating these pies (but not for much else). They make Pi Day more fun and much easier and give the kids a chance to "bake" when they have never cooked before. So yes, I am contributing to mass consumerism in this country, just like the patriarchs from the fifties wanted me to do.
I had two disappointments when reading: Anastopoulo never mentioned Pi Day or gave us the low-down on Johnny Appleseed.
This is an important look at the social history of pie in our culture in the US. If you bake, read it.
July 16, 2022
As someone who is an avid baker and self-proclaimed U.S. History nerd, this book's description caught my eye and I went in with somewhat high expectations.
“Sweet Land of Liberty” felt like a conversation with a friend rather than a typical history lesson per se. I have never read a book quite like this. It was witty, charming, and all around insightful as some history is brushed away, this puts a lot of that front and center! Rossi Anastopoulo was so successful in what she set out to achieve!
I have yet to make a pie but have my eyes on the chocolate coffee jello pie! It seemed like it would be simple to follow and will be a nice (delicious) weekend treat.
I don’t think you have to be a baker or a history nerd to enjoy this! I would recommend it if you're looking for something to switch up your reading routine. You will not regret it!
*Thank you NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am leaving this voluntary and all opinions are my own.*
“Sweet Land of Liberty” felt like a conversation with a friend rather than a typical history lesson per se. I have never read a book quite like this. It was witty, charming, and all around insightful as some history is brushed away, this puts a lot of that front and center! Rossi Anastopoulo was so successful in what she set out to achieve!
I have yet to make a pie but have my eyes on the chocolate coffee jello pie! It seemed like it would be simple to follow and will be a nice (delicious) weekend treat.
I don’t think you have to be a baker or a history nerd to enjoy this! I would recommend it if you're looking for something to switch up your reading routine. You will not regret it!
*Thank you NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am leaving this voluntary and all opinions are my own.*
August 14, 2022
Equal parts history book and cookbook. Written with grace and humor, and some very handy recipes! I was pleasantly surprised by the author's choice to include a recipe fir Maple Pumpkin Pudding (or, a crustless pumpkin pie) when discussing the history of American Thanksgiving. "It’s made with all pre-colonial ingredients, meaning nothing that arrived here as a result of European settlement: pumpkin, maple syrup, corn, and pecans. If you do make it for a holiday, use it as an entry point to discuss why certain traditional recipes (like classic pumpkin pie) look the way they do, and what that legacy means for the people who live in America in both the past and present." I can't wait to share this book, and I plan to include it in our library's collection! This could be a handy edition to a school library or a resource for teachers.
November 1, 2022
Absolutely brilliant, Rossi Anastopoulo must have had the support of a very loving and hungry Greek family.
August 10, 2023
Stunning book!
November 22, 2022
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies is a well written microhistory of the social growth and development of the USA as related to food, specifically pies curated and written by Rossi Anastopoulo. Released 25th Oct 2022 by Abrams, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is an accessible, almost conversational, history of the USA as it intersects pies. The author has included recipes for each of the 11 pies featured in the essays. The history parts of the book don't always make for comfortable reading. I've heard that if history makes you feel proud and comfortable, then you're not reading about history. There were a number of uncomfortable undeniable hard truths included here: namely that the USA was built on the backs of enslaved people and brought about largely on lands stolen from indigenous peoples.
There are careful annotations and chapter notes included throughout, which will provide keen readers with many hours of further reading. Despite being very well researched and annotated throughout, it's not at all academically stiff or formal or difficult to understand.
Although I didn't fully test any of the recipes, I didn't see any glaring errors with a careful read-through. The recipes are written with ingredients provided in a sidebar bullet list. Ingredient measurements are given in both imperial (American) and metric units (yay!!). There are no photos of pies (or indeed anything else) included in the eARC provided for review. The layout of the recipes is easy to navigate and will undoubtedly produce a good pie with care.
Four stars. It's an odd premise for a book (which the author freely admits). I found it fascinating, honestly and unflinchingly written, and in places, quite fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies is a well written microhistory of the social growth and development of the USA as related to food, specifically pies curated and written by Rossi Anastopoulo. Released 25th Oct 2022 by Abrams, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is an accessible, almost conversational, history of the USA as it intersects pies. The author has included recipes for each of the 11 pies featured in the essays. The history parts of the book don't always make for comfortable reading. I've heard that if history makes you feel proud and comfortable, then you're not reading about history. There were a number of uncomfortable undeniable hard truths included here: namely that the USA was built on the backs of enslaved people and brought about largely on lands stolen from indigenous peoples.
There are careful annotations and chapter notes included throughout, which will provide keen readers with many hours of further reading. Despite being very well researched and annotated throughout, it's not at all academically stiff or formal or difficult to understand.
Although I didn't fully test any of the recipes, I didn't see any glaring errors with a careful read-through. The recipes are written with ingredients provided in a sidebar bullet list. Ingredient measurements are given in both imperial (American) and metric units (yay!!). There are no photos of pies (or indeed anything else) included in the eARC provided for review. The layout of the recipes is easy to navigate and will undoubtedly produce a good pie with care.
Four stars. It's an odd premise for a book (which the author freely admits). I found it fascinating, honestly and unflinchingly written, and in places, quite fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
June 21, 2022
Espousing on history via related foods and recipes always seems like a great concept for a book, but it has proven to be more difficult to do successfully than one might assume.
Theoretically, the concept is brilliant. It’s a fun way to tie culinary history to broader social history, and should cater well to audiences that may not enjoy the drier side of history books.
In practice, unfortunately, it generally doesn’t work too well. This book is better than most in this sub-sub-genre, but it too loses its way at times and struggles to convincingly carry the theme through from start to finish.
One thing that puts this one a cut above the rest is its humor. The author is terrifically entertaining, which makes the book fun and high on readability while still imparting the intended information. And I actually thought the overall concept worked pretty well for the first 50-60% of the book.
The trouble begins when the latter chapters struggle to find purchase in significant American history. It’s not that the topics addressed don’t matter (they absolutely do), it’s that the pie tie-ins feel forced and it makes the whole lot feel performative in a way that doesn’t occur in the earlier chapters when the author is speaking about cultural diversity and historically marginalized populations. Also, is a quiche even a pie? Ehhh.
But enough of the book is well done that it’s well worth a read, and the humor and tone make even the less successful chapters palatable.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Theoretically, the concept is brilliant. It’s a fun way to tie culinary history to broader social history, and should cater well to audiences that may not enjoy the drier side of history books.
In practice, unfortunately, it generally doesn’t work too well. This book is better than most in this sub-sub-genre, but it too loses its way at times and struggles to convincingly carry the theme through from start to finish.
One thing that puts this one a cut above the rest is its humor. The author is terrifically entertaining, which makes the book fun and high on readability while still imparting the intended information. And I actually thought the overall concept worked pretty well for the first 50-60% of the book.
The trouble begins when the latter chapters struggle to find purchase in significant American history. It’s not that the topics addressed don’t matter (they absolutely do), it’s that the pie tie-ins feel forced and it makes the whole lot feel performative in a way that doesn’t occur in the earlier chapters when the author is speaking about cultural diversity and historically marginalized populations. Also, is a quiche even a pie? Ehhh.
But enough of the book is well done that it’s well worth a read, and the humor and tone make even the less successful chapters palatable.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
November 9, 2022
With the holidays fast approaching, there's always talk of what pies to eat at Thanksgiving in the US. I loved the idea of examining the history of the country through....pies. I am personally not a pie person, but reviewing a history of something through its food can be fun and fascinating, so I was curious what the author had to say from pies ranging from apple to the perhaps not so familiar (bean?).
The author takes a fairly formulaic approach where Anastopoulo takes a pie and talks about its origins, ingredients, preparation, its particular place in US society, it's cultural impact, etc. often with a recipe or two afterwards. Some are familiar (apple), some are not, and so depending on what you're looking for there's a possibility you will not learn much.
That's really it. It was interesting to see the darker aspects (racism, appropriation, etc.) that go into how we have these pies in the first place, but overall it was a pattern of writing that sometimes felt like a bunch of profiles put together.
This might be available at your local library and that's how I'd recommend it. But for a food historian, someone interested in the crossroads of food, food culture/history, US history, etc. this would probably be an interesting read. Wouldn't be surprised to see this pop up in classes about food, cooking, food history, etc., either.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
The author takes a fairly formulaic approach where Anastopoulo takes a pie and talks about its origins, ingredients, preparation, its particular place in US society, it's cultural impact, etc. often with a recipe or two afterwards. Some are familiar (apple), some are not, and so depending on what you're looking for there's a possibility you will not learn much.
That's really it. It was interesting to see the darker aspects (racism, appropriation, etc.) that go into how we have these pies in the first place, but overall it was a pattern of writing that sometimes felt like a bunch of profiles put together.
This might be available at your local library and that's how I'd recommend it. But for a food historian, someone interested in the crossroads of food, food culture/history, US history, etc. this would probably be an interesting read. Wouldn't be surprised to see this pop up in classes about food, cooking, food history, etc., either.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
October 21, 2022
I want to thank Abrams Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Sweet Land of Liberty. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
As someone who loves food, and history, it makes sense that I wanted to read a book that connects them. It seems like such a no-brainer topic, but it was something that I had never seen done.
The book is broken down into 12 chapters, each surrounding a pie and its connection to the period it was connected to. For example, Apple Pie isn’t as American as everyone believes. It did come over with the original settlers from Europe. As we know them, apples aren’t even original to North America. Did you know that? I certainly didn’t!
As someone who loves food, and history, it makes sense that I wanted to read a book that connects them. It seems like such a no-brainer topic, but it was something that I had never seen done.
The book is broken down into 12 chapters, each surrounding a pie and its connection to the period it was connected to. For example, Apple Pie isn’t as American as everyone believes. It did come over with the original settlers from Europe. As we know them, apples aren’t even original to North America. Did you know that? I certainly didn’t!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
As someone who loves food, and history, it makes sense that I wanted to read a book that connects them. It seems like such a no-brainer topic, but it was something that I had never seen done.
The book is broken down into 12 chapters, each surrounding a pie and its connection to the period it was connected to. For example, Apple Pie isn’t as American as everyone believes. It did come over with the original settlers from Europe. As we know them, apples aren’t even original to North America. Did you know that? I certainly didn’t!
As someone who loves food, and history, it makes sense that I wanted to read a book that connects them. It seems like such a no-brainer topic, but it was something that I had never seen done.
The book is broken down into 12 chapters, each surrounding a pie and its connection to the period it was connected to. For example, Apple Pie isn’t as American as everyone believes. It did come over with the original settlers from Europe. As we know them, apples aren’t even original to North America. Did you know that? I certainly didn’t!
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