Apple pie is not American, but there might not be an America without apples.
Apple pie was being baked in England at least by the 14th century and it was Dutch and English settlers who brought their pie making and apple trees to America. Before that, the only apple trees in North America were the tiny, sour little crab apples.
The apple did play an enormous role in the settlement and expansion of the continent. There weren't any hotels and restaurants when the settlers came to America. Apple trees planted on day one could produce fruit within three to five years. That became a source of versatile, dependable food, both raw and cooked. Less desirable apples could be livestock feed. Apples could be made into cider and brandy. Later apples were used for trade with Native Americans.
Today there are more than 27,000 apple growers, producing 10 billion pounds of apples annually and generating $8 billion in wages for 150,000 jobs.
The most popular apple in America is the Gala apple (originating in New Zealand) which surpassed Red Delicious in recent years, according to the U.S. Apple Association. In some areas, Red Delicious remains supreme, however, with Honeycrisp and Fuji also selling well.
