You don’t need to be from Boston to enjoy a piece of its namesake pie — especially on Oct. 23 when there’s a whole day dedicated to the famous chocolate, cream-filled sweet.
On Dec. 12, 1996, Boston Cream Pie was declared the official Massachusetts State Dessert, but its creation dates back more than a century earlier to the Parker Hotel and its restaurant.
RELATED:Eat your way through the fall in Boston Opened in 1855, the five-story establishment on School Street first served chocolate mainly as a beverage or in puddings, according to the hotel. Founder Harvey Parker then hired French Chef Sanzian to create a new menu for the restaurant, and his bake staff whipped up a dessert consisting of a sponge cake filled with vanilla custard and drizzled with chocolate icing. The pie was an instant hit and in1958 it even became a Betty Crocker boxed mix.
Today, the hotel is now the Omni Parker House and still serves the dessert in its restaurant. As part of its 150th celebration in September 2005, the world’s largest Boston Cream Pie was displayed at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The pie was 16 feet in diameter, and included 1,300 pounds of cake, 800 pounds of filling and 500 pounds of chocolate frosting. It was also topped with another Boston Cream Pie resembling the Parker House from 1855. If you can’t make it to the Omni Parker on Oct. 23 to try a slice of its famous pie, then here’s a handy map from the folks at Eater Boston of 18 places around the city from bakeries to restaurants where you can try one or other treats based on the creation. RELATED:Seize the opportunity to name Boston’s official pumpkin There’s also always Dunkin’ Donuts and its Boston Kreme Donut. The popular chain doesn’t just have a pastry based on the pie because chocolate and cream make such a satisfying combination. Dunkin’ Donuts opened its first shop in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. Today, the company’s headquarters are also in the Greater Boston area, in Canton.
Pie, donut, who cares! Happy National Boston Cream Pie Day! pic.twitter.com/Lj2NdUWxbL
— Dunkin’ Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) October 23, 2014
For those that are feeling more ambitious, you can make your own Boston Cream Pie at home with thisrecipe for the original version of the dessert . Since National Boston Cream Pie Day falls so close to Halloween,check out this candy corn versionthat will get your sweet tooth going. If you are not in the mood for pie, then try thisBoston Cream Pie inspired martinior incorporate the dessert into your breakfast with thisFrench toast recipe. Finally, for those following a vegan lifestyle, here’s arecipe from Chef Terry Hope Romero,author of “Vegan Pie in the Sky,” for a Boston Cream Cake Pie.
