# The English are not an inventive people, they do not eat enough pie. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697 "2003-06-23T04:21:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/21 "2003-06-23T13:51:13Z")
Now c’mon … we English are too busy _inventing luscious pies_ to put our minds to much else … 😉 Lamb and Apricot Pie anyone? Julie ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/22 "2003-06-23T13:53:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by garius \* > \*\*What is it with Americans and their inability to remember the **Steak and** part of Steak and Kidney Pie?! \*\* We remember. It just isn’t the steak part that makes us rech. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/23 "2003-06-23T13:54:05Z")
Just like everything, the Brits may invent it, but it takes the Americans to perfect it. For example: The English language, proper spelling (who needs a u in every other word), decent pie… (I kid because I love) ---
**Author:** ![mallocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f4b2a3/32.png) [@mallocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mallocks)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/24 "2003-06-23T13:56:38Z")
hmm, could work actually, I’ve never eaten a single pie, and I’m not inventive 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/25 "2003-06-23T14:00:17Z")
> [@](#): > > hmm, could work actually, I’ve never eaten a single pie, and I’m not inventive I’ve never eaten a single pie, either … I always eat them in pairs. 🙂 Julie ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/26 "2003-06-23T14:16:02Z")
I challenge just about everything in the thread title. 1. Including the Scots as English\*, we have invented: Gravity\*\* Calculus The English Language The Long Bow (au revoir, mes amis!) Railways Computers Evolution\*\* Penicillin Telephones Tarmac Vortex vacuum cleaners Policemen Chicken Tikka Masala 1. It’s very nice that you Americans have such a variety of pies for dessert. However we English were eating meat pies when Shakespeare\*\*\* strolled the boards (and throwing them too, if the production was rubbish!). A visit to my local fish + chip shop in my small town (near Melton Mowbray) revealed the following pies: Beef + onion Steak and kidney Chicken and mushroom Melton Mowbray Pork Imagine what would have happened if I had gone to a supermarket… \*we can do this **because the Americans cannot tell the difference** :eek: \*\*I am prepared to accept this is a stretch \*\*\*insert ‘American knowledge of history joke’ here ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/27 "2003-06-23T14:16:09Z")
Maybe I should bring some pie to England. You know, when I come back. :: ducks brickbats :: I think I’d really like a kidney pie, steak or not. I like organ meat. And as for the OP, Edison must have been tripping. That statment makes no logical sense. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/28 "2003-06-23T14:30:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by glee \* > \*\* > A visit to my local fish + chip shop in my small town (near Melton Mowbray) revealed the following pies: > > Beef + onion > Steak and kidney > Chicken and mushroom > Melton Mowbray Pork > \*\* And I challenge the assumption that these are pies. Pies have a tasty, sweet filling of some kind. Pies do not have onions or organs in them! ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/29 "2003-06-23T14:35:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*And I challenge the assumption that these are pies. Pies have a tasty, sweet filling of some kind. Pies do not have onions or organs in them! \*\* Challenge away. Pies have existed (onions organs and all) since before there was a USA. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zorro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@Zorro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zorro)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/30 "2003-06-23T14:42:30Z")
Is this aversion to kidneys a widespread American phenomenon? You really are missing out, because calf’s kidneys in a mustard sauce are a dish fit for kings. Does this attitude spread to all offal? I take it that you’re not really big on liver either then. And presumably not terribly keen when it comes to andouillette, sweatbreads, brains, tongue, tripe, faggots or tete de veau a la vinaigrette. You have much to learn. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/31 "2003-06-23T14:50:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*Pies do not have onions or organs in them! \*\* Are you [sure](http://www.imdb.com/Title?American+Pie+(1999))? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/32 "2003-06-23T15:05:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Xerxes \* > \*\*Until you’ve tasted a fresh Melton Mowbray Pork Pie, I can honestly say your life is incomplete. > > Not that I mind your Lime pie (is it called ‘Key Lime Pie’? Or am I confusing that with something else?). And your pecans are scrummy, I’ll admit … \*\* You call our fine Georgia pecans scrummy? As a fine Southron gentleman, I take umbrage, sir, umbrage, I say. Why, our pecans are simply scrumptious! Oh. Just be careful never to typo, my good man. (Those British and their extra letters in words…) ---
**Author:** ![WILLASS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/54ee81/32.png) [@WILLASS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WILLASS)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/33 "2003-06-23T15:07:25Z")
Zorro you are a true gourmet! I love offal, liver, haggis etc. but andouillette is evil and isn’t tete de veau lambs face? I draw the line at that…oh and tripe, lets not forget tripe. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/34 "2003-06-23T15:13:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Carl\_A\_Norris \* > \*\*Challenge away. Pies have existed (onions organs and all) since before there was a USA. 🙂 \*\* [Obligatory] You know, HITLER liked onion and organ pie! That’s right! Are you Brits some kinda Hitler Pie Lovers? Hmm? [/Obligatory] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/35 "2003-06-23T15:17:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by glee \* > \*\*I challenge just about everything in the thread title. > > 1. Including the Scots as English\*, we have invented: > > Gravity\*\* > Calculus > The English Language > The Long Bow (au revoir, mes amis!) > Railways > Computers > Evolution\*\* > Penicillin > Telephones > Tarmac > Vortex vacuum cleaners > Policemen > Chicken Tikka Masala\*\* Bell may have been born in Scotland, but he did his inventing of the telephone after he moved to America and away from meat pies. Telling, no? And we claim him anyway because of that fact. American inventions: Airplane LAN systems the internet cell phones telephones telegraphs lightbulbs television (sorry about that) bifocals fire companies fire insurance phonographs the Gulf Stream (if you guys can invent evolution and gravity…) Notice that American inventions begin overtaking British ones in terms of how revolutionary and groundbreaking the farther our culture moves from meat pies and towards fruit pies. The evidence is clear. Meat pies inhibit inventiveness. ---
**Author:** ![Sinungaling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Sinungaling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinungaling)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/36 "2003-06-23T15:26:32Z")
Someone’s going to bring up Snow and the lightbulb pretty soon. And you’re all whacked, haggis is superior to all those culinary creations. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/37 "2003-06-23T15:36:43Z")
Correct me if I’m wrong, but is haggis not a traditional Scottish dish of sheep’s bladder stuffed with other various sheep organs? In which case, I would like to say: _ **ew** _ ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/38 "2003-06-23T15:41:18Z")
Thats correct and damn nice it is too. What exactly do you think they make hamburgers out of anyway? ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/39 "2003-06-23T15:44:32Z")
I’ve never understood why people are willing to eat the sheeps flesh but balk at the idea of eating any of the other organs. It’s all good eating! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697/40 "2003-06-23T15:50:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*[Obligatory] > You know, HITLER liked onion and organ pie! That’s right! Are you Brits some kinda Hitler Pie Lovers? Hmm? > [/Obligatory] > > 😃 \*\* Hitler, as any fule kno, was a _vegetarian_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-english-are-not-an-inventive-people-they-do-not-eat-enough-pie/183697.md?page=3)