In the midst of the COVID pandemic, Hannah became inspired by a 1930s-era recipe and used it to share the feelings that she and her community experienced waiting for vaccines to arrive in Ontario. Vinegar Pie is one of several “desperation pie” recipes which use staple ingredients to imitate fruit fillings in times of food shortages.

As the US

In the midst of the COVID pandemic, Hannah became inspired by a 1930s-era recipe and used it to share the feelings that she and her community experienced waiting for vaccines to arrive in Ontario. Vinegar Pie is one of several “desperation pie” recipes which use staple ingredients to imitate fruit fillings in times of food shortages.

As the US began to re-open and Canada – Ontario specifically – was lagging so far behind, Hannah says her ability to stay positive waned. She produced the song quickly so it could speak to all of those who have been hanging on and waiting powerlessly while politicians make frustrating choices.

The song was written, recorded, and mixed during Ontario’s stay-at-home order in April/May 2021. Together, producer Don Kerr and Hannah coached each of the musicians to record themselves from their homes across Ontario. Hannah’s banjo and vocal tracks were recorded in Huntsville; Arnie Naiman recorded guitar from his cottage in Restoule; Nathan Smith recorded vocal harmonies in Smiths Falls; Brian Kobayakawa recorded bass and Don Kerr added percussion from Toronto.