I’m working with several independent bookstores to sell signed copies of the Tasting History Cookbook. They ship all over! https://www.tastinghistory.com/cookbook

Now we need an Air Pie, an Earth Pie, and a Fire Pie...

The idea of butter in “depression” food would confuse my Russian grandfather so much. For him butter was symbol of being well-off

Learning that that pie article was satire was the greatest twist of the century

French canadian here. My grand-mother had a recipe for this but she called it "tarte à rien" meaning "nothing pie."  This brings me back...

‘Water pie’ has to be one of the most unappetising descriptions of food period

I used to watch Great Depression Cooking with Clara, who grew up in the Great Depression.  I remember she would pull up dandelions on other people's lawns on her way home from school so her mother could make dandelion salad.  The series is still available on YouTube even though she has passed.

This channel has finally answered an enduring question of my childhood. My grandmother (born in 1918) always used to tell me that her mother made pie out of water all the time when she was a kid. I thought she was bonkers. But it turns out it's true! Sorry for doubting you, Grandma.

It’s fascinating doing it this way, since the filling is almost a candy. That’s probably why it works

Poverty has always existed and to quote an Alabama song “Well somebody told us Wall Street fell, but we were so poor that we couldn’t tell.” A line about growing up during the Great Depression. There definitely existed extreme struggle meals before the Great Depression. People have always been resilient.

Max miller recommending we make water pie from the Great Depression for thanksgiving this year is the strongest recession indicator I have ever seen

My grandmother made this pie frequently. She had three children, two were boys, the oldest was my mother. My uncles were typical boys, according to grandma, "always hungry." She made this pie for sale during the Depression, to bring in extra household money. My grandfather worked on trains in various capacities, and could be away for weeks at a time, with no way of sending money home. Grandma knew where she could find wild walnut and pecan trees, and would prepare them and add them to the pies, and sometimes added raisins or other fruits for variety.  (She knew where there were fruit trees where she could pick the fruit for the owners and split the "take" with them.) She also sometimes used a tablespoon or more of apple cider vinegar to the mix, to give it the apple flavor, or left out the vanilla and nutmeg and added lemon and ginger or the vinegar and ginger, along with a "little" extra sugar, if she had it. She always used lard for her crusts unless she could buy Crisco, as an acceptable alternative. Butter was too expensive. The biggest demand was for the "plain water pie".  My favorite was the one with raisins. By the way, Grandma cooled her pies in the ice chest to firm them up faster.

when its 2025, you have no food stamps, you're furloughed, and you google depression era recipes while you still have access to an oven...

Max: "This looks bad." Also Max: "I'm gonna end up eating it all since it's so good." Love those reactions.

this might be the most depressing yet fitting title for the times

My favorite part of this show is when he is doing the pre-bite look and he says "it doesnt look the greatest, but who knows?" and then takes a cautious bite and then slowly smiles and says "its actually really good."

It happens like every 3-4 episodes and its my favorite thing.

I actually have a recipe from my nana for a water pie her mother made in the depression. So if you are interested this was her mother recipe carried down to her and well here we are. This has to have been one of the most basic and easiest pies I have ever made. I hope this will help anyone looking for a genuine recipe

9 inch pie shell cold
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 flour
1 cup sugar
2 vanilla
4 pats of butter

Preheat to 400 add the water and butter into the pie crust and bake until slightly slightly browned then add the sugar flour and add to the water butter mix when it comes out the oven then add the vanilla but do not stir them bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 375 until the edges are brown.

In my recipe, use a quarter cup of flour and cook it in the butter, like a roux, before stirring in the water.  The top will look better and you can serve it still a little warm, and it will still hold together.

Most people think about sweet dessert pies, forgetting there were many savory pies like chicken pot pie, or shepherd pie that were a meal in themselves.

I live and die for Max's Transatlantic impression.