An Apple Pie Without Cheese

When I was a little girl I remember my dad quoting this phrase: "an apple pie without cheese is like a hug without a squeeze." This usually served as the intro for Mom's dessert or a holiday treat. And, yes, I developed a taste for apple pie with cheese – usually with a chunk of nice mild cheddar.

In fact, the quote is actually "an apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze."

Rowley Leigh mentions this phrase and its possible origin on www.ft.com:

An English fruit pie is frequently not sweet at all. Apple pies in England were often almost savoury and sometimes eaten with strong cheese. "An apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze," went the old saying. The Kentish apple pie went further and introduced a layer of mature Cheddar under the crust.

Throughout my life with Dad we developed our own variations of this saying:

An apple pie without cheese is like….

…a cold without the sneeze

…a tree without the leaves

…a lap without the knees

… a car without the keys

… the birds without the bees

…a ship without the seas

As with most things about Dad, I prefer his original version. It’s one of the gifts he left me – every time I indulge in a slice of apple pie I hear “an apple pie without cheese is like a hug without a squeeze.” I hear it in his voice and in my mind’s eye I can see the mischief and delight in his eyes. I remember how he loved my mother, his children … and apple pie.