Pi

3.141592653589793238462643383279

That would be Pi to the 30th decimal point. If you asked Ian to recite it, he could, and then he would explain to you that Pi is a calculation to determine the circumference of a circle and that it is equal to the area of the circle divided by the radius of the same, squared. Ian has understood both the concept and been able to recite it to the 30th point since he was 6 years old. He's currently 8.

Pie to me is something entirely different. Growing up in a household where cooking was considered something hateful and little that was presented at the table would actually resemble real food, when Grandma Ida would bake us a pie, it was an event to be celebrated. Even today as I cook my oft-desired meals, nothing quite equals a pie made in Grandma's style. Very few have been afforded the opportunity to try one, and I have not gotten any complaints from those who have tasted it.

Adele contacted me yesterday. She was looking for an old recipe of Grandma's for "Cottage Cheese Pie." She was hoping that I had a copy. I did, I scanned it, and forwarded to her immediately. She needed it in a timely manner, but the reason gave me a little pause. She wanted to bake a pie for "Pi Day."

"Pi Day?" I thought. "Huh." So I decided to look it up on line.

Apparently, Pi Day was invented in 1988 by the San Francisco Exploratorium. They celebrated it by marching in circles and then eating fruit pies. They later added Pizza Pies to the assortment on the buffet.

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 (3-14) and Pie Minute is noted as March 14th at 1:59 pm. (3-14 1:59) I suppose it could be celebrated at 1:59 am, but personally, I think it's a bad idea because most of us would be sleeping.

Coincidentally, Pi Day is also Albert Einstein's birthday.

The official Pi Day Website, as well as others, lists suggested activites to be engaged in on Pi Day including eating pie (of course), reading stories such as “Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi” by Cindy Neuschwander, or having a contest to see who can recite the most digits of Pi. I would suggest that in lieu of a trophy, the winner win the flavor pie of his or her choice.

I would opt for Grandma's Cheese Pie.