Why Pumpkin Pie?

Why Pumpkin Pie when you could have: 

Charlotte Framboise:

Crème légère framboise, gelée de framboises, biscuit aux amandes

French Husband wants to know why Pumpkin Pie when you could have:

Félicia:

Crème légère framboise et rose, gelée de litchis, framboises entières, biscuit croustillant et génoise.

Tradition, that is why.

Pilgrims and Indians, that is why.

Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie is like Paris without the Eiffel Tower, that is why.

Macaron Ananas:

Crème légère à l’ananas, morceaux d’ananas frais, biscuit macaron.

I know French Husband would rather have chocolate any day. Pumpkin is savory, and that cannot be a pie; pie is a sweet dessert, and Pumpkin is not a dessert, according to the French Husband.

Mont Blanc:

Mousseline aux marrons, crème chantilly, morceaux de marrons, pâte brisée et crème d’amande

Do you have a favorite Pumpkin Pie recipe?

Note: The French desserts above are from:

Le Daniel RENNES     13 Galerie du Théâtre : 02 99 79 33 81    19 rue Jules Simon : 02 99 78 85 82    ZA Saint Jacques de la Lande : 02 23 46 23 56

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!


“A Brief History of Pumpkin Pie

…But see, in our open clearings, how golden the melons lie;
Enrich them with sweets and spices, and give us the pumpkin pie! 

From “The First Thanksgiving Day, A.D. 1622,”
a ballad by Margaret J. Preston, 1887”

“For as long as many of us can remember, Pumpkin Pie graced the table each Thanksgiving. The ubiquitous orange-crusted custard has strained, spiced, and twice-cooked squash. 

But did you know that very few foods have deeper American roots than pumpkins? These gourds were first cultivated in Central America around 5,500 BC. They were one of the earliest foods European explorers brought back from the New World. 

Americans grew to call these vegetables pumpkins. They quickly became part of England’s pie-making culture. In 1654, Massachusetts ship captain Edward Johnson wrote that as New England prospered, people prepared “apples, pears, and quince tarts instead of their former Pumpkin Pies.”

By the early 18th century, pumpkin pie earned its spot at the Thanksgiving table as the New England holiday grew in popularity. Thanksgiving as a holiday gave thanks for a bountiful autumn harvest with an annual feast. It became an important holiday in colonial New England – and pumpkin pie was a staple. It became such a staple that in 1705, Connecticut had a temporary shortage of molasses, forcing one town to postpone its Thanksgiving celebrations until they could obtain the pie ingredient. 

But it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that pumpkin pie gained political significance. The pie was a topic of conversation during the debate over slavery. Many abolitionists were from New England, and they found their favorite dessert mentioned in novels, poems, and broadsides. 

Sarah Josepha Hale, an abolitionist who worked for decades to have Thanksgiving proclaimed a national holiday, wrote about pumpkin pie in her anti-slavery novel “Northwood.” She described the Thanksgiving table with desserts piled on top, though “the pumpkin pie occupied the most distinguished niche.”

Once the Civil War ended, Thanksgiving – and pumpkin pie, by association – grew in national popularity. Write-ups in women’s magazines bolstered the popularity. ”

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Comments

4 responses to “Why Pumpkin Pie?”

  1. Cynthia Thompson

    Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings to all! You look amazing Corey

  2. You look great Corey – and thanks for the pumpkin history. It’s tradition. Pumpkin pie and mince meat were the ones my grandmothers always made. Both kind of savory and sweet at the same time. I disliked mince meat as a kid but like it now. Hard to find the filling these days though. Happy Thanksgiving!

  3. Jennifer Phillipps

    Well,as a Kiwi I am not keen on the Pumpkin Pie idea, pumpkin soup yes, not pie! However, I can understand the logic of it. I do like the look of those wee French sweeties and of course French Husband is a sweetie too, but best of all is your autumnal ensemble, finished off with a pumpkin bow…you look fab! Jennie, NZ

  4. My father’s (Portuguese immigrant) family ALWAYS had the exact same menu at the holidays, including both pumpkin and mincemeat pies. The only thing I could stand about either one was disguising the pie slivers by piling clouds of Chantilly whipped cream on top. I only ate the cream.

    Once Farmboy Husband and I moved away, however, I switched to apple and pecan pies — because those are among those we like best.

    Then the past couple decades, for simplicity’s sake, we began making apple crisp instead. No more having to fool around with rolling out pie crusts — and scattering flour all about in the process — plus lots more fiber in the oatmeal in the topping. What’s not to like??? Ice cream on top if we’re in the mood.

    I prefer to think of this as our NEW TRADITION!

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