Sweet Land of Liberty by Rossi Anastopoulo: Book Review

Happy Foodie Friday, y’all! This week I’m bringing you a food-related book review. Sweet Land of Liberty is Rossi Anastopoulo’s debut work. From Abrams Press, Sweet Land of Liberty examines American history through 11 pies.

I want to thank Abrams Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Sweet Land of Liberty. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Synopsis from Goodreads

From the pumpkin pie gracing the Thanksgiving table to the apple pie at the Fourth of July picnic, nearly every American shares a certain nostalgia for a simple circle of crust and filling. But America’s history with pie has not always been so sweet. After all, it was a slice of cherry pie at the Woolworth’s lunch counter on a cool February afternoon that helped to spark the Greensboro sit-ins and ignited a wave of anti-segregation protests across the South during the civil rights movement. Molasses pie, meanwhile, captures the legacies of racial trauma and oppression passed down from America’s history of slavery, and Jell-O pie exemplifies the pressures and contradictions of gender roles in an evolving modern society. We all know the warm comfort of the so-called “All-American” apple pie, but just how did pie become the symbol of a nation?

My Opinions

As someone who loves food, and history, it makes sense that I wanted to read a book that connects them. It seems like such a no-brainer topic, but it was something that I had never seen done.

The book is broken down into 12 chapters, each surrounding a pie and its connection to the period it was connected to. For example, Apple Pie isn’t as American as everyone believes. It did come over with the original settlers from Europe. As we know them, apples aren’t even original to North America. Did you know that? I certainly didn’t!

Pies that are mentioned in the book (and are also chapters) are:

• Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• Molasses Pie
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Pecan Pie
• Chiffon Pie
• Mock Apple Pie
• Jello-O Pie
• Bean Pie
• Quiche
• Tofu Cream Pie

Each chapter concludes with a recipe for the pie discussed in the chapter. Some chapters also have an additional pie discussed after the recipe. Returning to the Apple Pie chapter, the author discusses Cheddar Apple Pie after the recipe.

I can say that I learned more about some pies than I thought possible. I grew up eating Mock Apple Pie, yet I didn’t know where it originated. A pie that I had never heard of was Bean Pie. Learning more about these pies and their connection to history was fascinating.

Some pies are connected to negative parts of history, like slavery and racial inequality. Of course, no history is perfect! Just be aware as you read. There are no graphic details, but the way it is written does help readers connect with people of the period.

If I have any complaints about this book, it’s the fact that almost a quarter of the book is acknowledgments and notes.

If you enjoy reading about history, food, or even better yet, food history, I think you should give Sweet Land of Liberty a read.

Are you looking for more food-related content? Check out my other Foodie Fridays posts.