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My Oh My, It's Birthday Pie


Someone baked an amazing cherry pie

I never met a cake I didn't like, but I've never met a pie I didn't love. I like cake, but perhaps I've eaten too many very average sheet cakes at office parties to get very excited about cake.  Betsy is away for the summer, but to celebrate my birthday she arranged for this absolutely beautiful cherry pie to be delivered. And yes, it tasted as good as it looks, with a perfect crust and slightly tart cherries. She also arranged the delivery of a lobster roll and potato chips, the traditional accompaniment to cold lobster, to be delivered, too. My dream is next year in Maine, but this year in New York, I had my exact choice of dinners. I appreciate all of her work to organize my surprises. 

After I had a very generous slice of pie, I started to ponder why we eat birthday cakes and not birthday pie or birthday bread or birthday oatmeal. Thanks to the genius of the internet I had my answer. Cakes made of flour and nuts and sweetened with honey were served for weddings and special birthdays in Ancient Rome. As early as the Fifteenth century German bakeries began to make cakes for weddings and special birthdays. These cakes were for the very wealthy. 

The tradition of  the birthday cake -- as we have come to know it -- arose in 18th century Germany with the Kinderfeste. Each year on the morning of a child's birthday a cake was presented with candles for the age of the child, plus an extra candle for the light of life, or as we always said, "One to grow on." The Industrialization Revolution made it then possible to mass produce cakes and made the birthday cake a popular custom. This doesn't answer why cakes were adopted and not pies, but I found the origin of the birthday cake fascinating. 

It's been a wonderful two days. I've loved hearing from many, many friends and family members from literally all over the world. I've enjoyed great food, phone calls, texts and cards. There are still a few more celebrations to come, a little more subdued than what might have been, but they still will be times of good wishes and laughter. And tomorrow night for dessert, I've got birthday pie awaiting me. 

Thanks, too, to my wonderful blog friends. I'll be blog visiting tomorrow to thank all of you for the good wishes. Please stop by for Random Five Friday tomorrow. I've got some great news to share! 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.   

16 comments

Chatty Crone said...

❤¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸❤ ☺ ♫HaPpY BiRtHdAy to You
❤¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸❤ ☺ ♫HaPpY BiRtHdAy to You
❤¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸❤ ☺ ♪ HaPpY BiRtHdAy dear CAroL
❤¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸❤ ☺ Happy Birthday to You
❤¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸❤ ☺ aanndd mannyy morree………………….
Love, sandie

GrammaH said...

I never met a pie or cake I didn't like (and maybe it shows, a bit). My Dad loved pie and my Mom could whip out pies at a moments notice, and often did. That cherry pie looks awesome!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Happy Happy Birthday!!!! You are much loved!! The history of birthday cakes IS fascinating!

Dorothy In PA said...

I am glad the celebrations continue! You deserve them.

What a wonderful friend to send you birthday surprises.

I am looking forward to Friday's posting.

Laurel Wood said...

Cherry pie is my absolute favorite! Enjoy the celebrations and I look forward to your next post!

Gloria said...

Happy Birthday and enjoy your special day!
I'm looking forward to your next post.

Theresa said...

Oh how SWEET, yes sweet:) Enjoy your day dear friend and thanks for the history lesson! HUGS!

Sybil said...

Well Carol, you’ve certainly gave us some good information to do with birthdays, I hadn’t actually thought why we had birthday cakes ! I will certainly look at them in a different light now though......hope you got on ok at dentist and it didn’t stop you from enjoying your birthday treats pie or cake !! Here’s to you celebrating many more birthday cakes. Xxx

Janie Junebug said...

My mother made a birthday pie for me every year: chocolate with meringue. Delicious! Your cherry pie is beautiful.

Love,
Janie

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Who needs a birthday cake, when there's cherry pie? What a fabulous and delicious birthday treat from your friend, and a lobster roll too. We just had one the other day in Wells, Maine, when we took a day trip.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

What a wonderful, caring friend you have. That is one fabulous looking pie! Enjoy it all, Carol.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Happy Birthday! My departed husband was the same way Always preferred pie over cake, I think if its your birthday you should get what you like. So nice you can enjoy it more than once too. Glad you could still enjoy all your favorite things thanks to your friend.

Sharon said...

I forget every year that we share the same birth month! Obviously, we also share a love of cherry pie. On July 30, I'll post a picture of the cherry pie I will receive because I know that will happen! Happy Birthday, Carol! A little while ago, I came across the pics of the dinner we shared in NYC and enjoyed remembering.

Nellie said...

You have a great friend! How I hope we will all be able to have the birthday celebrations of our dreams next year! Maine sounds fabulous!

Melinda said...

Happy Belated birthday!!

I am so sorry that I missed it.

That pie looks great!

M : )

Sue said...

Happy Happy Birthday dear Lady, I too am a birthday pie girl, and cherry is a favorite of mine! .
I also enjoyed reading about the origin of cakes for birthdays, very interesting, but pie will always remain my favorite, enjoy this wonderful celebration all weekend.
Blessings,
Sue