FOOD NEWS
Flapper Pie Is An Undervalued Staple Of The Canadian Prairies
BY AUTUMN SWIERS
Flapper pie is an old-school dessert beloved in Canada. Also known as the forgotten prairie pie, it's a custard pie in a graham cracker crust topped with a cap of meringue.
Some bakers add a shot of whiskey to the custard filling, while others add peach leaves, lemon peel, or vanilla. The graham cracker crust can also be spiced with cinnamon.
The "Flapper" name comes from the 1920s. Flappers were a term for new-age women who prioritized fun and pleasure in their lifestyle, and this ideology inspired the indulgent pie.
Made with simple ingredients, flapper pie was a Canadian prairie town cafe staple in the '20s. In the wake of the Great Depression, it stuck around due to its thriftiness.
However, today the pie is not well-known outside of Canada. A vintage dish passed down through families around Manitoba farmland, it belongs mostly to older generations.