Much like siblings, South Africans may be a divided nation when it comes to the inner workings of our homeland. But when an outside force strikes, we stand as a united front, ready to react, confront, defend and reclaim in a way that only we can.
Exhibit A: Martha Stewart and her so-called ‘desperation pie’.
Taking to TikTok, world-famous retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality Martha Stewart posted a demonstration video of her making ‘the official state pie of Indiana’, as it read in the video’s caption.
‘What could be better than a piece of desperation pie,’ begins the demo. ‘A category that refers to pies made when fresh fruit wasn’t available, or money was short, but milk was plentiful because there were lots of cows.’
The dish consists of a ‘rich vanilla custard filling inside a buttery pastry crust’, with a striking resemblance to our much-loved quintessential South African milk tart – minus the cinnamon.
@marthastewartliving The official state pie of Indiana, sugar cream is a regional specialty. It has a rich vanilla custard filling inside a buttery pastry crust. Get the recipe at the link in our bio. #marthastewart #pie #recipe #dessert ♬ original sound – Martha Stewart
Alerting fellow South Africans, TikTok user Thabo Baloyi went viral for ‘being the bearer of bad news’.
‘Attention, South Africans. We’ve got a pretty big problem on our hands. The Americans have stolen the milk tart. Yip, you heard me. They’ve stolen the milk tart,’ declared Thabo.
‘I mean, we’ve gladly given away Elon Musk, we’ve gladly given away Charlize Theron. We nearly gave them Nelson Mandela’s hearing aid, for crying out loud. But it’s never enough for some people; it’s never enough.’
@thabo_baloyi_ The Americans have stolen our milk tart… #SouthAfrica #SouthAfricans #Milktart ♬ original sound – Thabo Baloyi
Before long, our front-line culture defenders stormed the comment section of Martha Stewart’s demonstration video to express our nation’s collective feelings of offence, disrespect and annoyance:
Nomziey: ‘Sounds the call to come together 🇿🇦😂’
Crystal Greeff-Katsini: ‘I feel disrespected 😂🇿🇦 all that is missing is a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. That’s milk tart tsek’
Lusizoooo: ‘That milk tart is desperate for cinnamon 🥺🇿🇦’
TashaLNN: ‘At least you should have said I’m making a traditional South African Milk tart and remembered to put cinnamon’
Nemo_B: ‘Milk Tart from TEMU’
Bestsana Tsuwane: ‘Martha, my kind… apologise 😂 We South Africans let nothing go unresolved 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂’
Spoonkie: ‘Desperation pie? 😳😂Ma’am, don’t disrespect us like that 🇿🇦’
Miss M: ‘it’s a South African Milk tart, Aunty🫠🫠🫠 herrre you take Everything from our Boerboel to our biltong 😅’
Leah: ‘Moenie my mal maak nie 🙄’
Kelso: ‘joh MAARTAKIE, why did you choose violence with South Africans.. but I understand why it’s called desperation pie. IT’S DESPERATE FOR CINNAMON POWDER 😭😭😭’
While the cavalry made TikToks of their own:
@samihallsays A Dispair Sponsie! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Today’s top tip… don’t come for our tarts madam 🤭🤭🤭 That comment section was hilarious! I just love us 🤣 Okay Bye ™️ #samihallsays #desperationpie #milktart #marthastewart #southafrica #tiktoksouthafrica #southafricantiktok #melktert #southafricancomedy ♬ original sound – SamiHallSays
@zaneleg@Martha Stewart We are waiting on your apology. ons is moeg van julle♬ Funny video “Carmen Prelude” Arranging weakness(836530) – yo suzuki(akisai)
@mekaila_mathys IYKYK 🤦🏻♀️ Nee man Martha! #milktart #melktert #desperationpie #dessert #food #foodie #marthastewart ♬ original sound – Mekaila Mathys
While we South Africans don’t require much to get behind a cause we feel passionately about, some may wonder whether the Americans did steal our beloved milk tart or whether they had actually invented it first.
Quoting The History Bandits, East Coast Radio reported that the first forms of desperation pies came about in the 1740s, made by German immigrants in colonial Pennsylvania, but became prominent in American households during the Great Depression and World War II.
Quoting IOL, the publication reported that milk tart was first made by Dutch settlers in the Cape in the early 1600s, with its origins credited to a detailed recipe listed in Thomas van der Noot’s book, Een Notabel Boexcken van Cokeryen (A Notable Book of Cookery).
So, suffice it to say, the milk tart appears to have been around for longer, and the only thing desperate about it is that we’re constantly desperate to have another slice.
ALSO SEE: Try this Baked Milk Tart Recipe
Article was originally written and published by for Cape {town} Etc.
Image: Martha Stewart/ Instagram
