“Pie is accessible, affordable, all-encompassing. Pie is meant for sharing. Pie connects people. Pie knows no cultural or political boundaries. Pie makes people happy. And happy people make the world a better place. That’s why the world needs more pie.” — BETH M. HOWARD
Pieowa documentary now screening
My documentary film, PIEOWA: A PIECE OF AMERICA, is finished! The subject of pie, the outsized role it plays in Iowa’s—and America’s—culture, and the ways this humble pastry can unite us is more timely than ever.
WINNER: BEST FOOD FILM, 2025 San Antonio Film Festival
“It’s a tonic for what ails us.” – Global Peace Film Festival
Where to watch the film: You can see it now across Iowa. On September 6, PIEOWA will screen at the iconic Chinese Theater in Hollywood! For more info, go to the PIEOWA page. Sign up for my newsletter. And make sure to follow The World Needs More Pie on Facebook and Instagram.
Get your PIEOWA T-shirt or apron made by RAYGUN. Inspired to help fund the film? Make your tax-deductible donation here.
See a preview of PIEOWA below. And listen to The Pie Song by Weary Ramblers written for the documentary.
Hi, I’m Beth M. Howard, creator of The World Needs More Pie.
I’m an author, essayist, filmmaker, and pie baker. I also consider myself a pie evangelist after experiencing the myriad ways that pie has not only saved me but has made the world a better place.
Have a look around the site and learn more about my story, my books, blog, press, pie classes, my award-winning pie documentary, and more.
FEATURED IN
Read World Piece, my most recent book
FEATURED IN: FORBES, Shondaland, and Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper.
“You don’t need to be a baker, or even a pie lover, to enjoy this delicious, wholly delightful book. Read it slowly, though, savoring the humanity found on each page.” —Eric Weiner, NYT bestselling author of The Socrates Express and The Geography of Bliss
In 2015, I traveled around the world making pie to promote goodwill and cultural understanding. Pie, an American symbol of comfort and kindness, provided me with an entree into people’s kitchens, cafes and homes.
From New Zealand to Australia, Thailand, India, Lebanon, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, and Hungary, I immersed myself in each place, exchanging recipes and stories. We are all connected no matter what color or language we speak, and we can use those connections to bring peace to the world.
Contact me to schedule an event. Watch my “World Piece” video (below) about the journey.
Buy WORLD PIECE on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or from your local bookstore.
Get the 2nd edition of Ms. American Pie
Books
Free Pie Instruction Videos
What better thing to do during the pandemic than bake pie? I used the time to make an instructional pie-making series called “Stay Calm & Bake Pie.” Out of the seven episodes, my favorite is the last one, a celebration of all the pies people made after watching my videos. Episode 1: Apple Pie, Episode 2: Mixed Berry Crumble, Episode 3: Banana Cream, Episode 4: Key Lime, Episode 5: Chicken Pot Pie, Episode 6: Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb, Episode 7: Victory Shots of YOUR Pies
Give a Piece a Chance
While we Americans like to think we invented pie, it did not originate with the pilgrims, though we agree, it was an inspired notion to bake the pie as a peace offering and create a holiday centered around it! We love Thanksgiving. Pie, however, has been around since medieval times with its history first documented in Egypt, and the first pie recipe recorded in Greece.
Pie originated as a sort of Tupperware of its time, the dough an inedible wrapper to preserve and transport meat. Mayflower passengers, practical travelers who recognized the hardiness (and heartiness) of the dish, brought pie to America, where recipes evolved and multiplied as quickly as the population of the new nation.
Today’s pie crust is flaky, buttery, and melts in your mouth, with myriad fillings — fruit, nuts, veggies, eggs, just about anything that can fit in a pie plate. Pie is accessible, affordable, all-encompassing. Pie is meant for sharing. Pie connects people. Pie knows no cultural or political boundaries. Pie makes people happy. And happy people make the world a better place. That’s why the world needs more pie.
TEDx: The Healing Power of Pie
