Today is "Pi" Day, But What Makes a Pie a Pie?

Today, March 14th, the world unites in celebration of Pi Day(3.14... get it?), that magical occasion when math enthusiasts and pastry lovers join hands to honor the never-ending decimal that holds our universe together. It’s a day when pie shops thrive, engineers find excuses to consume dessert at work, and everyone pretends to understand math.

But today, I decided to embark on an investigation not into the mathematical constant, but rather into the enigma it inspires. What, exactly, makes a pie a pie?

Is it a matter of shape? Sweetness? The presence of a buttery, flaky crust? Or is the term “pie” just a mirage... a mere social construct held together by tradition and blind faith?

If we go by the textbook definition, and by that I mean a hasty search of the internet

A pie consists of a "filling" encased in a "crust".

Well, that seems simple enough.

Apple pie? Absolutely. Pumpkin pie? No argument there. Chicken pot pie? A classic.

But let’s push the boundaries a little. Cheesecake has a crust and a filling, yet no one calls it a pie. Quiche is basically an egg pie, but it refuses to play by the rules. And then there’s Boston cream pie, which is just cake wearing the wrong name tag.

Could it be the shape. Maybe roundness is the key. Pies are generally round, after all. But what about hand pies? or McDonald's Apple Pies, those are straight-up rectangles. And, if a McDonald's apple pie with its general rectangle-ness still qualifies as a "pie", then what about a pop-tart? It's literally fruit wrapped in a pastry shell, but no one would ever consider it part of the pie club.

After countless hours, my investigation had led me down a rabbit hole of confusion and a weeks worth of calories. And I'll admit, I was ready to throw in the towel, and resign myself to the fact that pie is a lawless frontier where anything goes. But then, it hit me.

There is one food that checks all the boxes. A food that no one would have ever considered.

If a pie is, at its core, generally circular in shape and consists of a filling encased in a crust, then there is one shocking, undeniable truth... and it may just change everything.

Brace yourself.

...An Oreo is a pie.

Two chocolate wafers acting as the crust. A creamy filling in between. Round. Universally loved. It fits the definition better than half the things we call pie without question.

As I sit here, cookie crumbs scattered across my desk, I realize the search for absolute truth is a fool’s errand. Pie, like time and whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich, is up for debate. We can try to define it by crust, by filling, by shape or cultural tradition, but at the end of the day, pie is whatever we believe it to be.

So on this March 14th, whether you're eating a fruit pie, a pizza pie, or an Oreo (which I now refer to as a “tiny chocolate sandwich pie”), take a moment to reflect. Life, much like the pie, is about perspective. The ingredients may vary, the shape may change, but at its core, it is meant to be savored and filled with things you enjoy.

Happy Pi Day. Eat whatever you want... just call it a pie.