Pies have been around since Medieval times when they needed something to seal in the juices of cooking meat or fruit. Someone with cooking skills and an inventor’s mind developed dough and it was perfect.
But in the 1800s, some upstart, practical Americans came up with something truly ingenious–the FRIED PIE.
Early on, they were also called “hand pies” or “crab lanterns.”
Whatever name they went by, they were enthusiastically received. They were portable, no mess and you held them in your hand. Didn’t need a fork or plate. Folks could pack them into saddlebags, lunch pails, take them on trains or out on the range.
First, for those who don’t know what they are, I should probably explain. Picture this– a circle of dough, a filling of either fruit or meat on one side, the other half folded over then crimped with a fork to seal the edges, after which they’re put into a fryer of hot grease.
Absolutely out of this world!
Even the health conscious can enjoy them….baked.
Some would argue that fried pies are a Southern treat, but hold up there, pardner!
Our 14th president, Franklin Pierce, who hailed from New Hampshire, craved fried pies and brought them with him to the White House. (1853-1857)
In Texas Mail Order Bride, my middle brother bachelor Rand Sinclair’s mother made them and Rand sold them out of his Lily of the West Saloon. Cooper Thorne with his notorious sweet tooth was a regular customer.
If you haven’t read Texas Mail Order Bride, you can purchase it online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ITunes and many other sites in either paperback or e-book.
And if you’ve already read it, you don’t have long to wait for book two, Rand’s story – TWICE A TEXAS BRIDE. It releases on May 5th! It’s available for preorder now.
My Question: Have you eaten a fried pie (or baked)? What do you think of them?
I’m giving Texas Mail Order Bride to two commenters so come on in!!
Next Month — Cover Reveal for TWICE A TEXAS BRIDE!!
* * * * *
Visit my website for more: www.LindaBroday.com
Like my page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lindabrodayauthor
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/lbroday
And Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lindabroday1/
Here in the Texas Panhandle, we do love our cowboys. There's just something about a man in a Stetson and jeans that makes my heart beat faster. I'm not much of a cook but I love to do genealogy and I'm a bit of a rock hound. I'm also a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of historical western romance. You can contact me through my website and I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. HAPPY READING!
https://petticoatsandpistols.com/sweepstakesrules/
Oh yes Linda, I love fried pies, especially chocolate. But haven’t had one in ages.
The first one I remember was when we lived in the Texas Panhandle and an older bachelor cousin made them and always gave my brother and I one or two. Yummy!! Last one I had was visiting my daughter in Lufkin, Texas at a real popular store where they baked their own so could get them fresh. Enjoyed your post. Don’t freeze up there. I know how it is where you are. I have a step-son and his wife there in Dumas. God bless! Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <
Good Morning Maxie! My goodness, you were up early. I didn’t know you’re from this neck of the woods. Wow! Dumas is not far from here at all. We have snow on the ground this morning and it’s still snowing. Very cold. I’m glad you enjoyed my fried pie blog. They are truly out of this world. My mother used to make the best fried pies. Peach was my favorite. Loved those things. I haven’t eaten one in about two years. I should remedy that very soon!!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
Great post Linda. I grew up eating fried pies. We use to take them for lunch. I love them but haven’t had them for years. Now, I have a craving for one. 🙂
I love mail order bride stories and would love to win a copy of Texas Mail Order Bride. Thank you for the chance.
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52 AT yahoo DOT com
Good Morning Cindy! You’re up early also. My goodness. I’m really glad you enjoyed my blog. Nothing better than a “pie” subject to start your day. I haven’t had one in a long while either. Come up and we’ll meet for coffee and fried pie!
I hope you have a special day full of smiles and love!
I’ve never tried a fried pie or a hand held baked pie.
Do you have a recipe for the dough and how to shape them? Is the dough really thick and heavy? I’d like to try making an apple version and maybe a potpie version.
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known for their pasties. Here is a website with some recipes for several variations of a pasty. http://www.hu.mtu.edu/vup/pasty/recipes.htm
A pasty sounds similar to a baked version of your handheld pie.
I like to read mail order bride stories. You wonder about the desperate circumstances that force a woman to leave her home on an adventure to marry an unknown man. Scary stuff. At least in romance books we know there will be a HEA.
Good Morning Laurie! I hope you’re not frozen up there. It’s awful cold. I’m in the Texas Panhandle and we have snow on the ground and still snowing. Yes, your pasty recipe is exactly the same as fried pies. The dough is the same and you can put anything for the filling. They’re very versatile.
I’m glad you like mail order bride stories. I think they hold a lot of appeal for women readers because it’s a safe adventure for them. I like to imagine what it must’ve been like to leave everything you knew and head off to a strange place to marry a man you’d never laid eyes on. That would’ve taken lots of guts.
Have a wonderful day! Don’t freeze up there.
I have never tried a fried pie, I don’t think. Also, your amazon link doesn’t work, but the other two do.
Good Morning Faith! Thank you so much for coming by. I think I can possibly make a convert out of you. One fried pie and you might be hooked. They’re really delicious.
May you have a blessed day!
I love fried pies
Hi Janine! Thanks for coming by. Sounds like my blog is right up your ally. In Texas, fried pies are always served at fairs and that’s where I head. We have the best apricot ones here at this fair.
Have a wonderful day!
Hi, Linda.
I love pie, no matter how it’s fixed. LOL. My favorite is berry – black berry, raspberry, strawberry. Mmm… my sweet tooth is revving up.
Love your beautiful cover! The sunset, the way her purple dress stands out, the way the couple gazes at each other – it’s perfect!
Hi Karen! Yep, we do love our pie here in Texas. Some people say that pie is a Southern thing but I disagree. I think there are pie lovers all over the U.S. My favorite is peach or apricot. I love them both.
Thanks for the compliment on my cover. I really love it too. It speaks western and of love and commitment. But wait until you see the next one that comes out in May. It’s even more striking and the couple has love written on their faces. I’ll be putting this cover up soon.
Hope you have a great day!
Yes I have had and made fried pies. Apple, Cherry & a hamburger type. I haven’t made one in years, maybe I’ll get one going today 🙂 thanks for the reminder..l
Hi Deanna! Thanks for coming by. I’m glad you enjoyed my blog even if it did make you hungry. I’ve never eaten a hamburger one but I’ll bet it’s delicious. It certainly sounds like it. In this area of Texas we have empanadas which is a hispanic version of the fried pie and I love those. They’re almost always filled with taco-like meat and cheese. Yummy!
Have a very special day!
I have made them and love them. My favorite is apricot.
Hi Goldie! Thanks for coming by. Always great to see a fellow fried pie lover! Apricot is definitely one of the best. It’s always a tossup with me choosing either peach or apricot.
I hope your day is filled with smiles!
Here in Georgia, we love fried pies! Apple and peach are my favorites.
Hi Cheryl C! Thanks for coming over. I’m glad you enjoyed my blog. Fried pies are definitely a wonderful treat no matter what we put in them. Seems most of the visitors on here today agree.
Wishing you a day full of excitement and laughter. If we can laugh it sure makes everything better.
Linda, there’s a place here in Oklahoma City that does nothing but fried pies and they are so delicious! LOVE THEM. I enjoyed this–learning where they came from. Congratulations on your new release! I’ve got it and am dying to get started on it.
Hugs!
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl P! Sounds like I’m going to have to run over there to OK City and visit that fried pie shop! I would probably stuff myself and then take home a big sack. I dearly love ’em.
Thanks for the congrats and for buying a copy. I really hope you like the story. Cooper and Delta were special characters and I loved telling their love story. It’s full of twists and turns but as long as you’ve got your spurs on, you won’t get bucked off.
Have a wonderful day, my Filly Sister!
Oh Linda, I absolutely LOVE fried pies. On the sweet side, there’s a coconut cream I purchase occasionally that is out of this world. ON the savory side, you can’t beat an authentic Natchitoches meat pie. My mouth is just watering thinking about them.
Hi Winnie! I’m glad you can relate to my blog. I figured they’d have them for sure in Louisiana. You guys have just about the best of everything. Here in this area of Texas we have something called empanadas. It’s the hispanic version of the fried pie but it’s almost always filled with a taco-like meat and lots of cheese. Very yummy!
I hope this day brings lots of smiles!
Not really fried pies but the Italian version called calzone lol.
Hi Catslady! You’re right. A calzone would be about the same. The similarity never occurred to me. I’m glad you stopped by. Always great to see you.
Hope this day is bringing good things your way.
Morning, Fellow Filly. As you know, I love fried pies. (My hips give it away!) My grandmother who came from deep in the south (she actually was the daughter of a plantation owner in Louisiana and it’s still on the map) fried wonderful pies in LARD. Yep, lard the stuff that will kill all of us, but we’ve found now that any good shortening or oil will do the job just fine. Trust me readers, get Texas Mail Order Bride, it’s outstanding and funny to boot. I love it. Congrats, Linda! I’m excited for you. Big ol’ Texas hugs, Phyliss
what memories that brings back,,my mama could make the best homemade apple fried pies ,,ive never tried to make one but now im wanting too
Hi Vickie! Thank you for stopping by. I’m glad you enjoyed my blog. Sounds like your mama was a really good cook. Mine was too. Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit her skill. I have no interest in slaving away in a kitchen. I’d rather be writing my stories. But at mealtime I always yearn for something homemade to eat. Hope you do better than me in that department.
Have a wonderful afternoon!
Hi Phyliss! If your grandmother was ANYTHING like your mother, she was quite a character. You have very interesting family. You mention lard, yes everything was either fried, dunked or lathered with hog lard back then. Foods sure tasted good too. Gave things lots of flavor, especially fried potatoes. Yum.
I’m glad you enjoyed Texas Mail Order Bride. It was so much to write.
Hugs back to you!
Yum! Delicious, Linda. Thanks for the tasty info! And best wishes on the terrific new release! xox
Hi Tanya! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for the good wishes for the book. It’s exciting.
Out here in the West we call those empanadas.
Hi Joye! We have empanadas here also. I dearly love those things. I’m glad you enjoyed the blog.
Fried pies are delicious! Chocolate is probably my favorite with apricot running a close second. I even had a meat pie in Louisiana. Hand held goodness!
Hi Melanie! Thank you for coming by. Goodness yes, fried pies are definitely delicious. They’re my favorite fair food. Yummy. Hand held goodness indeed!!
Don’t enter because I have read this book. Yes I have eaten frid apple pies my sister makes them and they are very good.
Hi Quilt Lady! Thank you for coming by. Always good to see you. I hope you enjoyed the book. I’ll bet your sister is a very good cook.
Would love to try a fried pie!
Hi Connie J! How nice to see you. Thank you for coming by. YOu’ll have to try a fried pie sometime. I’ll bet you’d like them. We might make a convert out of you.
I love the baked pies. I add roasted bell peppers, mushrooms,and garlic. Yum!
Thanks, Naomi! I’m so glad you enjoyed my post. Those bell peppers, mushrooms and garlic would surely make a wonderful fried pie. Yummy!
I love fried pies! I live near Shipshewana, IN, which has a large Amish population so fried pies are always available there.
Hi Dali! Thank you for coming by. I’m glad you enjoyed my post. Of course! The Amish would be excellent fried pie makers. You’re very fortunate to have such a great source for them. I enjoyed your comment.
Not only have I eaten Fried Pies, I have made both the fried and baked varieties. The things you can put in a fried pie are limited only by your imagination.
As a Southern girl I was raised on these treats. One of my favorite memories is the fried pies my grandmother made from dried apples.
Hi Shirley! Thank you so much for coming by. I loved your comment. I agree about the versatility. You can put anything inside them. I’ll bet you’re a great cook. And those grandmothers knew how to make everything.
My mother-in-law made the best, from scratch with fresh fruit, fried pies. I’ve never been able to make mine taste like hers. Maybe I need more practice? Thanks for the reminder. Great post.
Hi Natalie! Thank you for coming. I’m glad you enjoyed my fried pie post. Practice makes perfect, my friend. But…you have to promise to bring me one next time you make them. Bet Chris and the boys would like some too! Get cracking, girl!