Padma Lakshmi, Indian-American television host and author, is facing backlash online after asserting that “apple pie is not genuinely American.” In a discussion with The New York Times, Lakshmi stated that both the components and customs associated with the iconic dessert originate from various regions around the globe.
“Apple pie isn’t American: not the crust, not the filling, not the spices,” she remarked to the publication while advertising her upcoming CBS cooking program, set to premiere before Thanksgiving.
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‘Not one ingredient in apple pie is indigenous to North America,’ says Padma Lakshmi
This is not the first occasion on which Lakshmi has asserted that apple pie is not American. In a 2020 interview with Variety, she presented the same viewpoint.
“We throw around a lot of platitudes like, ‘nothing’s as American as apple pie.’ Well, apple pie is not American,” she stated to Variety. “Not one ingredient in apple pie is indigenous to North America. Not even the apple! So what are we talking about here?”
Lakshmi articulated that numerous foods which Americans consider to be national dishes actually originate from global traditions and utilize imported ingredients. She remarked that if individuals solely consumed foods indigenous to the United States, the variety would be exceedingly limited.
{{/usCountry}}Lakshmi articulated that numerous foods which Americans consider to be national dishes actually originate from global traditions and utilize imported ingredients. She remarked that if individuals solely consumed foods indigenous to the United States, the variety would be exceedingly limited.
{{/usCountry}}If we were to eat exclusively what is native to the United States, our diet would consist mainly of desert packrat and ramps, she stated, alluding to a desert rodent and a wild vegetable.
Lakshmi, who relocated to the US from India during her childhood, expressed her gratitude for the opportunities that America has provided her family. However, she also contends that immigrants play a crucial role in the nation's prosperity.
Padma Lakshmi faces backlash
Internet users on X criticized Padma Lakshmi for her statement. One user remarked, “She seems to be an import as well.”
Apple pie originated in Western Europe, another user commented, adding that Americans have perfected it.
“Do we really have to listen to her? My lifetime it’s been Apple Pie. We may have added a spoonful of Vanilla Ice Cream but yes All American,” a third person said.
“Oh please give Americans a break,” another noted. ” “Well, based on her name, it certainly sounds like she’s an American,” the fifth user chimed in.