Such sayings peppered conversations when I was little, and easy as pie is the first I remember thoroughly understanding. It took me longer to grasp just how tired was plumb tired and what really happened when someone flew off the handle. Idioms like, my foot! or the even better my fanny!, both spoken as fed-up, impassioned versions of “Well, I don’t believe that,” were a little confusing for a while. I had plenty of context clues to help my young mind sort it all out, but easy as pie was a great visual for me and such an apt cliche.
Pies really are . . . a piece of cake. They are known for being the least time consuming to make of all the sweets. One bowl, two at the most, stir a few things together, pop it in the oven or often just refrigerate and you are done. Maybe whip some cream, perhaps make your own crust, but by and large, pies are simple and quick. It is no wonder holiday tables are filled with them.
