squab pie

A family enjoys a slice of squab pie at the dinner table.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of pie: "squab pie" refers to a traditional baked dish, typically made with squab (young pigeon) or lamb, often combined with apples, onions, and spices, enclosed in a pastry crust.

Usage Examples

• (A pie made with squab or lamb, served as a main course.)
• (A dish combining fruit and meat in a pastry.)

Advanced Usage

• "Squab pie" as a historical dish: In British culinary history, squab pie was a rustic dish common in rural areas, often made with available game birds or mutton.
  • The cookbook from the 18th century describes squab pie as a staple of farmhouse kitchens. (A pie historically associated with simple, hearty meals.)

Variants and Related Words

• Squab (n): a young pigeon, especially one raised for food.

  • The farmer raised squabs for the market. (Young pigeons used in cooking.)

• Pie (n): a baked dish with a filling encased in pastry.

  • She made a chicken pie for dinner. (A baked pastry dish.)

Synonyms

• Game pie: a pie made with game birds or meat.
• Mutton pie: a pie with lamb or mutton as the main filling.

Related Idioms

• "As easy as pie": very easy.

  • Making squab pie is as easy as pie if you follow the recipe. (The task is simple, using a wordplay on "pie".)

• "Pie in the sky": an unrealistic or unlikely hope.

  • Expecting to find squab pie in a modern supermarket is pie in the sky. (An unrealistic expectation.)