Apple pie is made from pastry filled in the center with pieces of apple. The traditional shape is usually as big and round as a large plate, and about two to three centimeters high. Apple pie is usually considered to be a symbol of American culture. "As American as apple pie" is a saying meaning that something is typically American. For example, "Football and baseball are as American as apple pie" means that they were invented by Americans and played and watched everywhere in this country. The phrase "apple pie" is often part of other phrases such as "apple-pie order" which means well-arranged, perfect order.
苹果馅饼就是以苹果为主要馅料的圆形馅饼，上下都有皮，烤成焦黄色。苹果馅饼是美国家喻户晓的糕饼，因此有人说苹果馅饼是美国的标志，人们常用它来表示典型或者纯粹的美国传统。英语中有些词组就显示了apple pie在美国人生活中的重要角色和文化特征。比如人们常说：as American as apple pie，这个词组的意思是像苹果馅饼一样具有美国特色；再比如apple-pie order是整齐、井然有序的意思，因为据说在每周开始的时候，有的美国家庭主妇习惯烤制七个苹果馅饼，整齐地放在食品架子上面，每天吃一个，有条不紊，因此apple-pie order 就有了整齐而有秩序的意思。
（本文选自人民教育出版社《中学英语文化背景知识手册》，2008年8月第1版）
