Midnight Pie
If I were given the chance to meet any famous person, it would probably be Michelle Obama. She exudes kindness, intelligence, leadership, charisma, and competence. Her book, Becoming, was inspirational.
But when I saw a quote in People Magazine (3/11/21) attributed to her, I was taken aback, and seven months later, I can’t seem to shake my discomfort. She talked about having her daughters home during the pandemic:
“‘They were baking way too much at the beginning of quarantine, too many delicious pies. They were good at it! Good pie crust, good fillings...My kids were midnight bakers. So at 1 in the morning, you'd smell cinnamon buns baking… I had to tell them to stop because we can't have all those sweets.’ Despite her husband former President Barack Obama's well-documented love of pie, he did not succumb to their girls' baking, says Mrs. Obama. ‘He's just ridiculously disciplined. We hate him,’ she laughs.”
Michelle Obama’s extensive work on exercise, nutrition, food insecurity, access to healthy food, and child obesity is well-documented and well-respected. It’s hard to argue with her goals, so many of which have been effectively accomplished.
But her approach may have unintended consequences. The above quote reflects an age-old narrative that obesity is bad, that being thin is an ideal, and that “discipline” is required to be thin. It also perpetuates a myth that women just can’t control themselves (while the man of the family can).
And that young women shouldn’t be baking pie at midnight.
Young women are saddled with a multitude of burdens. One sad commonality is that many talk about profound self-hatred of their bodies, and distress about longstanding disordered eating.
We need to find ways to address real public health concerns without contributing to a moralistic and misogynist narrative about body image and food. We need to help women celebrate and nurture their bodies.
I can’t think of many more joyful things than baking pie at midnight: apple, cranberry, pecan, pumpkin, key lime, cherry, lemon meringue -- and of course my favorite -- chocolate torte.
It’s the season for apples. Send me your favorite apple pie recipe. I’ll compile them and post them here. If you can, bake a pie tonight. Stay up until midnight. And eat it with friends or family under the stars.