What Is Pumpkin Pie?

Pumpkin pie is one of the quintessential American Thanksgiving dishes. It is also eaten throughout the Fall and early Winter, when orange pumpkins abound. The rind of the pumpkins is the basis for the custard filling, which is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. In contrast to fruit pies, pumpkin pie is almost always left open, rather than covered in a crust. The dish has a unique, seasonal flavour and goes with the Fall holidays in America like mince pies at Christmas in Britain.

The American colonists made pumpkin pies by slicing off the top of pumpkins, removing the seeds, and filling the insides with milk, spices and honey.  Then the pumpkin was baked in hot ashes. These days, many people buy a canned pumpkin puree for the filling. The pie is also made from scratch ~ the important thing to remember is that the rind of the pumpkin is used for the filling rather than the insides, which are very stringy and full of seeds! The seeds can be roasted for a tasty snack. Pumpkin pie is often topped with whipped cream. In Canada it is enjoyed with maple syrup.