Home / August

A little reason to celebrate

National Lemon Meringue Pie Day

Food · August 15

A day for lemon meringue pie, the tart lemon custard pie topped with a tall, toasted cloud of sweetened egg whites.

National Lemon Meringue Pie Day falls on Sunday, August 15, 2027. That is 292 days away.

Lemon meringue pie is built in three layers. At the bottom sits a crisp pastry crust. In the middle is a bright lemon filling, cooked on the stove from lemon juice, zest, sugar, egg yolks and a thickener such as cornstarch. On top goes a meringue made from egg whites beaten with sugar until they hold stiff peaks, then browned in the oven.

The appeal is the contrast. The filling is sharp enough to make you blink, and the meringue is soft, sweet and light, with golden tips that taste faintly of toasted marshmallow. A good slice holds its shape when cut, though anyone who has made one knows the meringue has its own ideas.

People mark the day by baking a pie at home or picking up a slice from a diner or bakery, where this pie often sits in a glass case near the register. Home bakers tend to have opinions about technique. Some spread the meringue over the filling while it is still hot so the two layers bond, and many make sure the meringue touches the crust all the way around so it does not shrink back in the oven. Little amber beads on the surface, sometimes called weeping or beading, are common and harmless.

The pie is best eaten the day it is made, and it is usually kept in the refrigerator. Lemon zest is grated from the yellow outer peel only, since the white pith underneath is bitter.

Ways to celebrate

• Bake a lemon meringue pie and slice it while the meringue still looks tall.
• Order a slice at a local diner or bakery.
• Try making lemon meringue tarts in a muffin tin.
• Share a favorite family pie recipe with a friend or neighbor.

Dates

All national days on August 15

Also on August 15

• National Relaxation Day
• National Leathercraft Day

Categories: Food days