Everyone from Massachusetts knows that Boston cream pie is our state's official dessert, and can probably tell you all of the best places to find one. Despite being more of a cake than a pie, this sweet treat has won the hearts of many Bay Staters, and we'll argue with you all day about why it doesn't matter if it's a cake. However, not many Bostonians know the detailed history of our state's dessert. Boston cream pie was first created by a chef at Parker's Restaurant, which is located inside the Omni Parker House hotel, and you can still order a classic pie straight from it's birthplace today.
Welcome to Parker's Restaurant, tucked away inside the Omni Parker House in Boston.
Even if you've grown up in Massachusetts, there's a good chance you didn't know the Boston cream pie's birthplace is just a skip away from Boston Common.
While the exact history of our state's dessert is a bit fuzzy, there are many rumors that the true birthplace is Parker's Restaurant.
This iconic restaurant has been a Boston staple since the 1800s, and it's said that Chef Anézin created the Boston cream pie in 1865.
At the time, liquid chocolate was becoming a popular ingredient in desserts, though mostly for drinks. This French chef took this trend and created the pie we know and love.
It's obvious, though, that this is much more of a cake than a pie.
This is because in the late 1800s, "cake" and "pie" were often used interchangeably. This term was never argued, and this spongey cake with a custard center became our state's dessert in 1996.
Boston cream pie really took off when Betty Crocker turned it into a box mix.
The mix was created based on the recipe at Parker's Restaurant, and since then, the whole country knew and loved the Boston cream pie.
To this day, Parker's Restaurant serves up the best Boston cream pie in Massachusetts, and you can order one even if you don't live in Boston.
That's right, Parker's Restaurant will ship it's famous pie straight to you in a freezer box. However, if you're local, you'll probably just want to pick it up. No matter how you get it, there's nothing quite like a Boston cream pie from Parker's.
While we may never know the true history of the original Boston cream pie, we can all agree that Parker's Restaurant's pie might as well be the birthplace. It's just that good!
To learn more about Parker's Restaurant or order a Boston cream pie directly, you can visit the Omni Parker House website right here. For recent updates, you can visit their Facebook page here.
Have you ever tried a Boston cream pie from Parker's Restaurant? Did you know it's the alleged birthplace of this famous dessert? We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Is there another local spot that you think we should know about? You can nominate a place through our nomination page, and we may feature it in an upcoming article. Also, you can read about 11 weird Massachusetts history facts right here.
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