The shift from Halloween to Thanksgiving marks that perfect plunge into fall when the leaves turn orange and the air gets cooler—at least that’s what we in LA imagine happens to the rest of the country. But aside from chiller weather, November also calls for delicious food and sweets, as families and friends gather together today to celebrate what they’re thankful for. Nothing screams Thanksgiving more than a good old slice of pumpkin pie, but where did this tradition originate from?
According to History, pumpkins were first introduced to the New World by Native Americans back in the early 16th century as gift to the settlers. Pumpkins were originally called “pumpions”, a spin on the French word “pompon”, meaning “large melon”. As pumpkins became a staple Thanksgiving gourd, Pilgrim settlers began experimenting with “pumpion pie”1 by layering pumpkin, sliced apple, spiced rosemary and thyme. The early 18th century saw an increased popularity in pumpkin pie, as Connecticut town Colchester even postponed Thanksgiving for a week because they lacked the molasses needed to make pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin pie took unique political significance in America during the abolitionist period, as many abolitionists advocated for Thanksgiving to be a national holiday and made pumpkin pie the symbol of that revolution. Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 and shortly recipes for pumpkin pie popped up in magazines nationwide the same time every year, creating the tradition2.
At Dulce, we carry on this tradition, but go above and beyond with our 6.5 pound in-house pumpkin pie.
Using a recipe created and hand-crafted by our wonderful pastry chef Patty, our pumpkin pie is simple yet made with TLC and the following ingredients:
The filling:
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Clove
- Condensed milk
- Brown sugar
- Milk
The crust:
- Graham crackers
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Butter
Our pies are sold by the slice ($6.50) and the whole ($49) in-store. Although a limited item, have no fear, as we will continue to sell our pumpkin pie just a little longer for the rest of the holiday season. Hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
References
https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PieHistory/PumpkinPie.htm