Several Thanksgivings ago, I headed down a path of twisted logic that went something like this: Fresh berries make a better pie than frozen berries. Therefore, fresh pumpkin will make a better pie than canned pumpkin.
Because I had won the annual family fight over who brings pie to Thanksgiving dinner, I had an opportunity to showcase the best pumpkin pie ever. I announced to everyone that I’d be making a real pumpkin pie. This meant, of course, that I’d need to buy a pumpkin and process it myself.
I purchased a cooking pumpkin at the farmers market and went through the hell of hacking it up, scraping out the seeds, steaming the flesh, and mashing it to a pulp. I then added the usual ingredients—evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and spices—as I’ve always been fond of the recipe from the pumpkin can label and didn’t see a need to monkey with it any further. I proudly transported the pie, which came out a lovely burnt-orange, to my parents’ house. When the main course was finished and it came time for dessert, my sister produced another pumpkin pie. She diplomatically explained that her children, being kids, preferred the canned variety.
Alas, my pie was a bust. The pumpkin was stringy, and raw-tasting, and altogether too squashy. I set my slice down and fought for a sliver of my sister’s pie. My nieces and nephews knew the truth all along: Canned is the way to go. I haven’t veered from that path since.
I’d include the recipe for best-ever pumpkin pie here, but you can find it on the can label. If, that is, you can find one during the expected canned-pumpkin shortage. I’m going to stock up.
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Processed food has its advantages as I found out while canning tomatoes last weekend. Four hours to make catsup! I'm with your sister on this one, Mandy. Sometimes good things come in a can.
ReplyDeleteFor years my wife has made delicious Thanksgiving pumpkin pies from scratch (using the basic Joy of Cooking recipe) by cutting up our Halloween pumpkins (forget food grade, but don't use the parts where the candle-wax dripped), freezing and later roasting the pieces in the oven and then pureeing them in the Cuisinart. Waste not want not. And the pies come with no strings whatsoever attached. In fact, I stirred some of the smooth pumpkin puree into a cornbread batch this year according to recipe sent to me in an e-mail by Al Franken. Supposed to be delicious but I didn't care for it at all, maybe because I forgot to add the baking soda. Anyway, I'll never vote for Al Franken again. (Not that I could, technically, since I don't live in Minnesota.)
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