Dividing Slices around the World: Celebrating Pi Day

Dividing Slices around the World: Celebrating Pi Day

On March 14th, at precisely 6:28 PM, a select group of 17-18 year olds will celebrate their acceptance into one of the world’s most prestigious STEM-based universities, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This particular time and date do not come without good reason, though. March 14th can be written as 3.14, which you may recognize as the first three digits of the world’s most famous irrational number, pi.  The day has fittingly been given the title of “Pi Day”. The significance of 6:28 PM is that 6.28 is the result of pi multiplied by 2, commonly referred to as Tau. Quite the significant time for the mathematics community and an even more significant moment for incoming students.

Pi Day began, at least in a somewhat official capacity, in 1988, thanks to a physicist by the name of Larry Shaw. Shaw and other employees at the San Francisco Exploratorium celebrated the day by walking in a circle and eating an assortment of fruit pies. For a little mathematical background, pi is a crucial number when it comes to measuring circles. It’s the universal result of dividing the circumference of a circle by its diameter. As you climb the ladder of mathematics, pi appears more and more. It helps with finding surface area and volume for spheres and cylinders, and plays a large role in physics, statistics, and engineering.

Early approximations of pi can be traced back to civilizations like Babylon and Ancient Egypt; however, it was Greek mathematician, Archimedes, who made the first serious attempt to find the exact number. Fittingly named the “Method of Exhaustion”, he drew different size hexagons inside and outside of a circle repeatedly until he came within a few decimals of pi. Math grew in complexity through the centuries and higher levels of computation, from minds such as Isaac Newton, allowed the number to become more exact and much more useful.

However, the term “Pi Day” often leads to the renowned number being overshadowed by its tasty homophonous rival, pie. The March 14th holiday was recognized by the U.S. government in 2009 and is now commonly celebrated by eating and/or throwing the classic baked pastry dish. Many bakeries, and even pizzerias, will have discounts and special offers to join in on the festivities. As this year’s Pi Day approaches, there are multiple dishes from all over the world to help you make the most of this numerically significant day.

Melopita—Greece

This unique Greek dish comes from the picturesque isle of Sifnos.  A distant cousin to cheesecake, this dessert only calls for a few simple ingredients, most of which were readily available to most Mediterranean households, notably cheese and honey. Unlike your typical pie, the Melopita is crustless, so it’s quite the easy recipe for novice bakers. Top it with some cinnamon and enjoy this authentic bite of the Cyclades.

Cornish Pasties—England

Dating back to the 1300s, this English Pasty is a classic blend of meat and vegetables baked in a shortcrust pastry circle. The combination of nutrients led to becoming an everyday lunch for many working-class Englishmen. Wives would even draw initials into the baked dish for their husbands. It has connections to Cornwall for its origin, however it is now widely known and enjoyed across England, as well as around the world! 

Torta Pasqualina—Italy

If you ever stop by Genoa, Italy, an authentic Torta Pasqualina is phenomenal choice for a quick bite. The egg, cheese and spinach pastry is commonly associated with Easter holiday festivities, as Pasqualina translates to “Of Easter.” In fact, a traditional recipe calls for 33 thin layers of dough, each representing a year of Christ’s life. The process is a little simpler today, but the authentic taste has not been lost.

Västerbottenpaj—Sweden

Swedes utilize their local Vasterbotten cheese in the creation of this common egg and cream pie. Like the Torta Pasqualina, Västerbottenpaj is a celebratory dish and is eaten on holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Midsummer. Additionally, this pie was popularized alongside crayfish parties where its cheesy taste complemented the fish well. No matter the time of the year, this flavorful quiche is a great addition to festivities.

Meat Pie—Australia/New Zealand

Aptly named, the meat pie was recognized as a national dish of Australia in 2003. Although its creation and journey spans centuries and multiple countries, this savory treat found its community in the South Pacific. It’s one of the more popular bites to eat across the country and can be found in virtually every bakery. New Zealand also marks them as a key part of their national cuisine and identity, and claims to be the inventor of the pie, which Australia refutes. Nothing like a good pie-valry!

Tarte Tatin—France

You may already recognize the name of this renowned French dessert, where apples are caramelized and then baked in pastry before being served upside down. The lore behind the Tarte Tatin is quite rich as well, and the story goes that one of the Tatin sisters at the Hotel Tatin in south Paris discovered this dish accidentally. After overcooking apples, Stephanie Tatin tried an improvisational move to save the pie and was surprised how well her customers received it. Don’t count out a sugary dish!

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