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Settlers Made Lemon Pie From Sheep Sorrel

By Capper's Staff
Published on August 30, 2012

During pioneer times, lemons usually were very scarce. To satisfy their taste for lemon pie, women learned to use. the pink-flowered sheep sorrel that grew wild on the prairie as a substitute for lemons.

They used a regular lemon pie recipe and substituted a cup of shredded sheep sorrel for the lemons. The pie had a tart, luscious flavor similar to real lemon pie.

Mrs. Francis M. Wise
Hiawatha, Kansas


Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then CAPPER’s Weekly asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from CAPPER’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.