The British phrase “eating a humble pie” is similar to the American “eating a boiled crow” and both imply humility. The origin of the phrase comes from serving offal meat pies to servants, leading to a connection between the dish and humility. The Latin word “humilis” means “from the earth,” while “numble” or “umble” means “loin.” Eating a humble pie is a punishment for arrogance or boasting, and recipes exist for both real and metaphorical pies. Knowing when to serve it and who deserves it is important.
The American metaphor for the humiliating apology, eating a (boiled) crow, has a much older British equivalent, eating a humble pie. Both the boiled crow and the questionable ingredients of this pie imply a pauper’s meal, thus adding the element of humility to the dough. A person who loses a particularly high bet or loses credibility after bragging or bragging is most likely doomed to eat a metaphorical serving of humble pie as penance.
The origin of the expression humble pie can be traced back to the Middle Ages, although the association with humility or painful humiliation is not so direct. After a hunt, the innards of the slain animal were often cooked into a meat pie and served to servants or others of low social status. These organs and other offal were originally called numbles, but over time the common reference changed from “un numble” to “un umble,” thus rendering the meat dish as “un umble pie.”
Due to the fact that umble pies were served mainly to the humblest servants, a connection developed between the consumption of a dubious but hearty dish and a true sense of humility. The word “humble” in the metaphorical pie comes from the Latin humilis, meaning “from the earth,” while the “numble” or “umble” in a real umble pie comes from Old French and English words meaning “loin.” Dropping the initial H sound from some words is a common practice in some British dialects.
Eating a humble pie is supposed to be a metaphorical punishment for excessive arrogance or boasting. Few people would ever eat such a dish voluntarily, but others might want particularly conceited public figures or abusive employers to take a bite or two, especially when they’re being proven wrong in a very public way. Eating a humble pie should take the offender down a few rungs on a social or professional ladder, at least long enough to feel humiliated or appropriately punished for his bullying behavior.
There are recipes available online and in research cookbooks for a real humble pie, though the ingredient list may be hard to get at regular grocery stores. There are also fictitious “recipes” for making a humble metaphorical pie, including strokes of apology, cups of forgiveness, a dash of humility, and so on. The important thing to remember about humble pie is knowing when it should be served and who deserves to get the biggest slice.
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