Regional Cuisine: As American As Apple Pie

We love baseball, hot dogs, apple pie andpie is a favorite. In Vermont, the apples may be
Chevrolet - or so an old ad for Chevrolet tells us.sweetened with honey or maple syrup. And in
Apple pie is as American as... well.. apple pie. Ifmany restaurants on Cape Cod, rather than vanilla
baseball is the All-American sport, then apple pie isice cream, your piping hot slice of heaven will be
the all-American dessert. And while the internetserved topped with a slice of melting cheese.
and book stores have spread the recipes far andIn the Southern states, with their predilection for
wide, there are classic apple desserts in everycreamy, lightly spiced foods, the most common
region that are characteristic of the cuisine forapple pie recipes include Apple Cream Pie (made
that area. Wherever Johnny Appleseed spreadwith sour cream) and Apple Bourbon Pie, with
orchards, there are recipes that make use ofraisins soaked in bourbon. Raisins soaked in rum
other regional ingredients and traditions to createare another popular addition to 'apple pie' in the
unique desserts with apples and - whatever!South, especially in New Orleans. Other additions
If you think of apple pie as having two crusts andinclude rhubarb, diced peaches and walnuts.
a filling of apples combined with sugar, brownMidwestern Apple Pie is the classic apple pie - two
sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, some of theflaky crusts packed with thick, sweet, juicy apple
regional variations may surprise you. Appleslices mounded high and vented to let the
cobbler, apple pandowdy, apple puff, apple crisp,fragrant steam escape. In Kansas or Missouri,
apple brown betty are all variations of apple pie inyour apple pie will satisfy any purist - served with
different regions. The prevailing apple recipes fora scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts into the
any region may be affected by the variety ofsyrupy filling and adds the perfect touch of
apple that's hardiest and most popular in thatcreaminess to the mix.
area, as well as the style of cuisine that'sIn the South and Southwest you'll find deep-fried
prevalent.apple pie, a variation that matches
In New England, for instance, most apple recipesmelt-in-your-mouth flaky fried crust with sweet,
call for Pippins, Granny Smith's or other firmdiced apples in a syrupy sauce. And in
fleshed, sweet varieties of apple that cook up wellPennsylvania, the home of the Pennsylvania
and lose little moisture when being baked. InDutch, Apple Crumb Pie and Apple Pandowdy
Maine, it's not uncommon to find blueberries intake the place of Apple Pie a la Mode on most
your apple pie. In Massachusetts, cranberry applerestaurant menus.