National Great American Pot Pie Day
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Overview
National Great American Pot Pie Day, observed annually on September 23rd, celebrates the ultimate savory comfort food: the pot pie. This beloved dish typically features a rich, flavorful filling of meat (like chicken or beef), vegetables, and gravy, all encased in a flaky, golden-brown pastry crust. It's a versatile and hearty meal, cherished for its warmth and home-cooked appeal, especially as the autumn season begins.
Origin and story
The concept of pot pies dates back to ancient times, with early versions found in Roman and Greek cuisine where meat and vegetables were baked inside pastry.
While often associated with chicken, pot pies can feature a wide variety of savory fillings, including beef, turkey, seafood, or vegetarian combinations, typically bound by a creamy sauce.
Quick facts
- DateSeptember 23
- TypeFood / Dessert
- Great forFoodies, Chocolate lovers, Home bakers
Also on this date
Ways to celebrate
Pot pie's path to America ran through ancient Greek pastry shells and a 1951 kitchen innovation that changed weeknight dinners.
Trace it to ancient pastry shells
Ancient Greeks are credited with creating the first pastry shells by combining flour and water, baking meat inside them in a dish called "artocreas" — Romans later added their own version, filling similar crusts with meats, oysters, mussels, and fish.
Know when it became a frozen staple
Pot pie recipes appeared in America as early as 1796, in the cookbook "American Cookery," but it was Swanson's 1951 frozen chicken pot pie — sold in its own little aluminum tin — that turned the dish into a convenience-food icon during the postwar home-freezer boom.
Read the fuller history
Helpful resources:
Did you know?
The crust itself evolved out of necessity: Roman pastry was little more than flour and olive oil, but Northern European farmers later swapped in butter or lard, producing the softer, more edible crust we associate with pot pie today.
Fun facts
- The concept of pot pies dates back to ancient times, with early versions found in Roman and Greek cuisine where meat and vegetables were baked inside pastry.
- While often associated with chicken, pot pies can feature a wide variety of savory fillings, including beef, turkey, seafood, or vegetarian combinations, typically bound by a creamy sauce.
- Unlike dishes like shepherd's pie, which uses a mashed potato topping, a true pot pie is distinguished by its savory filling being fully enclosed, or at least topped, with a pastry crust.
Sources and attribution
Chicken Pot Pie's Roots Trace Back to Ancient Rome (Mashed)
External links may lead to third-party websites.
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FAQ
- When is National Great American Pot Pie Day?
- It is observed on September 23 each year.
- What is National Great American Pot Pie Day?
- National Great American Pot Pie Day, observed annually on September 23rd, celebrates the ultimate savory comfort food: the pot pie. This beloved dish typically features a rich, flavorful filling of meat (like chicken or beef), vegetables, and gravy, all encased in a flaky, golden-brown pastry crust. It's a versatile and hearty meal, cherished for its warmth and home-cooked appeal, especially as the autumn season begins.
- How do people celebrate National Great American Pot Pie Day?
- Bake or heat up a pot pie and consider its long path here — ancient Greek pastry shells, Roman meat-and-seafood versions, and finally Swanson's 1951 frozen pot pie that made it a convenience-food staple.
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