Midwest Pie

Edited by Meredith Pangrace
Introduction by Phoebe Mogharei

May 23, 2023

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," and much more. Full of accessible instructions and helpful sidebars, you’ll learn the stories behind a variety of pies, including:

• Hoosier Pie
• Schnitz Pie
• Ohio Buckeye Pie
• Sawdust Pie
• Runza

Midwest Pie is the perfect collection for any home chef looking to learn more about the diversity and deliciousness of one of the region’s most enduring culinary contributions.  

ISBN: 9781953368522 | PAPERBACK | 5 X 7 | MAY 23, 2023 | $18.95

Praise for Midwest Pie: 

"Midwest Pie immortalizes those time-tested recipes, while also exploring the origins of the bean pie, the popularity of 'desperation pies' during the Great Depression, the humble origins of the Upper Peninsula’s pasties and more. Fire up the oven and get the mixer ready." –Louisa Chu, Chicago Tribune

"[An] unpretentious little book that will summon up old memories for some and introduce others to an era when seasonality often dictated what sort of pie might show up on the dinner table." –Mark Knoblauch, Booklist

"On the heels of 2021’s Rust Belt Vegan Kitchen, Belt’s creative director tackles a more ubiquitous and crowd-pleasing subject, with recipes spanning “old classic” pies such as funeral and sawdust; regional originals like the Nation of Islam’s bean pie and Indiana’s sugar cream Hoosier pie; “desperation pies” that relied on pantry staples when times were tough (chess, shoofly, mock apple); midwestern produce pies (persimmon chiffon); and retro relics (cottage cheese, chocolate rum)." –Mike Sula, Chicago Reader

“Midwest Pie is mostly a recipe book beginning with gentle instructions for pie dough (“don’t expect a perfect crust on your first try”) followed by a profusion of delicious-sounding pie fillings.” –David Luhrssen, Shepherd Express