I was asking tongue-in-cheek last week, but since I dragged y’all into my pie quandary I figured you deserved a resolution.
This week I will make at least 3 pies. Pumpkin almost doesn’t count because it’s a given. And I’m making it in the worst way possible–with canned pumpkin.
In a nod to my homeland and heritage, Pie #2 is going to be a Hoosier Sugar Cream. All you Southerners enjoy a pale imitation of this one called Chess Pie. Both are Desperation Pies, made with whatever was on hand when the fruit runs out. Chess Pie (which the Midwesterners generally call Vinegar Pie) has less milk, no cream and adds vinegar and cornmeal. Since I won’t be in Indiana for the holiday, I figured making an Indiana pie seems to be a good way to meld my two homes.
Pie #3 is Caramel Pecan. Why? Because I would walk across a pit of writhing vampires for a Rolo. Caramel is my great weakness. And this pie is just a big ol’ slab of caramel with some nuts on top.
I really wanted to do a fruit pie of some sort, but there isn’t any rhubarb to be found for love or money. My husband insists that apple pies are for summer only and I find most berry pies a slightly terrifying experience. I can’t eat them without feeling like I’m dining on eyeballs.
Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go unwrap 36 caramels.
Just Another Pretty Farce 
Well, my pumpkin chunk pie is sort of like a fruit pie. You’d need to get a pie pumpkin, though. Or — green tomato pie is a lot like apple but it’s seasonal right now. All the farmers’ markets have tons of green tomatoes. So do I, in fact. It was a weird summer for tomatoes. If you want a fruit pie I will happily give you green tomatoes for it.
See how I can take the least little comment on the internet all seriously?
I don’t recall ever baking a pie (cheesecake, yes. pie, no) so I’m not speaking from my own experience but I’ve seen multiple TV chefs state that canned pumpkin is more flavorful than fresh when it comes to baking.
I have to say that unless you are a dab hand at stewing pumpkin–and few people are–I would agree. Canned “pumpkin” puree typically has less water than a home-stewed pumpkin and is often bolstered with squash. Given my situation, I just cannot bring myself to go through the extra steps that go into pureeing a fresh pumpkin. I figure as long as i’m using actual canned pumpkin puree as opposed to that gack called “Pumpkin Pie Filling” then I’ll be okay.
It bums me that the flavour most people associate with “pumpkin pie” has, over the years, become mostly that mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, etc. Any more if you get “Pumpkin” ice cream or yogurt or whathaveyou, it’s actually Orange-coloured Pumpkin-Pie-Spice flavoured stuff. 😉 I blame this tragedy on Pumpkin Pie Filling.
nm–I toyed with green tomato pie, even though I’ve never made it before. I was looking for a tart fruit pie, and that seemed like an option for Those Of Us Who Can’t Have Apple After Labour Day. But I have a serious _thing_ about what the kids these days call “tomato aspic” and that I call “slimy tomato guts”. I don’t know if this ooze would be more or less prominent in green maters. I do thank you for the offer though.
It bums me that the flavour most people associate with “pumpkin pie” has, over the years, become mostly that mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, etc.
On Halloween, we wanted to get the stuff to make Pumpkin Martinis, but the only pumpkin liqueur then liquor store had was a “Pumpkin Pie Creme Liqueur.” It was a generally “fall” flavored drink but I didn’t taste anything I could identify as pumpkin.
I used to have a thing about that, too. Then I started growing my own tomatoes, and now I love pretty much every part of the tomato. I cannot swear to whether that comes of identifying with the product of my labor or from home-grown heirloom tomatoes actually tasting more flavorful than store-bought mass-produced ones in all aspects. But I will say that using some of my unripened Cherokee Purples and Nebraska Weddings as fried green tomatoes last week led to the loveliest combination of tart and becoming-sweet….
I have tried making a classic pumpkin pie with fresh pumpkin and won’t do it again. Just not enough flavor for the work involved. So I agree about that.
Pumpkin would be my favorite. CARMEL (as I think ALL HOOSIERS SHOULD SPELL AND SAY IT!) Pecan (Pronounced Pee – CON) would be my second favorite. CHEESECAKE is my all-time-favorite ANYTIME but here, it would be my third.
Your might find frozen rhubarb in your grocer’s freezer.