There's nothing more American than apple pie, right? 🍎🍏
Let's take that common statement and examine it. In the 19th and 20th centuries, apple pie was the symbol of American prosperity and national progress. Interestingly, the first apple pie recipe is from 1381 in England. It was printed by Chaucer, and included apples, figs, raisins, and pears. Still, that seems in keeping with Americans' own origin story with the American Revolution as our defining moment of independence.
But if we peel this back a layer further, we see that none of the primary ingredients in apple pie are native to this continent. 🔎
Where does each item come from? 🌾 Wheat originated in the Fertile Crescent—the oldest evidence dates to Syria, Turkey, and Jordan. 🐮 Butter we can trace back to the domestication of animals in Europe and is an invention of Western Civilization. 🌍 Cinnamon is from Sri Lanka. Sugar is from New Guinea. And 🍎 apples themselves are from the mountains is Central Asia, including Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan.
