This Vintage Depression-Era Pie Used An Unusual Ingredient

In 1929, the world entered the Great Depression, an era hallmarked by economic hardship and struggle. During this period, people sometimes came up with unique and creative meals using inexpensive ingredients, like the vintage diner blue plate special combining mac and cheese with tomatoes, in order to stretch their limited funds as far as they could. These recipes can sound strange to modern ears, but many are surprisingly tasty, including one using an unusual ingredient: vinegar pie.

Vinegar pie technically started far before the Great Depression, as early as 1859, but it wasn't until the Depression that it truly became popular in the United States. It was typically made from sugar, flour, sometimes water, and vinegar. Rarely, butter or eggs were included to give it a little extra flavor. The result, not unlike a citrus curd, gives the pie a tangy flavor without expensive fresh citrus. And, yes, that sugar nicely balances the acidic tang of vinegar.

Vinegar pie is often placed in the category of "desperation pie," made with whatever you might happen to have in your pantry. These kinds of old-school foods may not be widely popular anymore, but at the time, they allowed hungry Americans to enjoy favorite foods even in hard times. In its original 19th-century form, though, it was purposefully made with vinegar and included other ingredients the Great Depression version often lacked. Even its 1930s iteration is worth a try.

If you want to sample vinegar pie for yourself, it's easy to source a vintage recipe and make this Depression-era struggle meal at home. Most recipes require only sugar, flour, and vinegar for the filling, but you'll likely find it much better with butter and eggs. You can use most any type of vinegar for this pie. White and apple cider vinegar were both common in Depression recipes, with apple cider being a bit milder than white.

You're far from limited to just the standard recipe from the Great Depression. There have been plenty of versions throughout the years, including some that use vanilla extract or downright luxurious recipes with a litany of seasonings like nutmeg and allspice in addition to fillings such as raisins and sour cream. Vinegar pie's simple flavor means that it can accommodate a wide variety of different modifications and can go with many other dishes. Since it's a sweet dessert, serve it with something savory, like chicken.

If you have leftovers, vinegar pie can stay fresh in the fridge for a few days and lasts up to three months in the freezer. It might surprise you that some vinegars need to be refrigerated, but it's true. Wrap the pie in plastic wrap to preserve freshness and keep it from picking up flavors from other foods. Don't leave the pie out overnight, and if you see any signs of spoilage, throw it away.