Breaking Down a Pumpkin

In the days of the pilgrims, they must have had a lot more time on their hands to do shit like this. I'm guessing Indians didn't have to sublet their teepees. That's right. The Little Dinner Party is moving yet again, this time to a place with an actual kitchen and more than three chairs. Between showing my apartment to Loser A and Bad Credit B - I've barely had time to cook. You might say I'll be really thankful when this apartment is off my hands. 

I like pumpkin stuff, sue me. Over the years I've gone back and forth between buying the cheap can of pumpkin versus taking the time and effort to make my own. Now that I'm a busy-bee, I've been buying it canned. Does it taste different? I have no idea. One just makes you feel a bit more smug when people ask for your pumpkin pie recipe. 

Most people think the pumpkin in pie is from the goo inside. It's actually the shell, peeled and cooked. Not all pumpkins are good for this. Specifically a "pie" pumpkin is the one you should use. They are usually pretty cheap, but not as cheap as a can of pumpkin. One pie pumpkin makes about two and a half cups of puree, which can be used in any recipe. 

Little Dinner Party of Horror 2: Pumpkin Pie Edition

Halloween is a special time for my little blog as this is our first anniversary! Last October I bit off more than I usually feel like chewing with the creation of this blog, so far the result has kinda been worth the effort. On this final night of Halloween, I'm fork deep in pumpkin pie and jamming out to the Pandora Halloween Party station, accompanied by my cats and my second Jack O' Lantern of the season. To my loyal reader(s), I dedicate this recipe! Thanks for loving food-related holiday traditions as much as me. 

Julianne Moore Pumpkin Pie!

Unless you've been buried under the rubble of what used to be your seaside home, you know that a giant storm has practically washed away the east coast. All this New York talk makes me crave the best pumpkin pie I've ever had. After seeing City Bakery on Sex and the City nearly a decade ago, I finally got the chance to try this little Chelsea gem a few autumns back. As I sat stuffing my face with $5 worth of pumpkin pie, I saw Julianne Moore enter, get harassed and promptly exit. Yes, the real Julianne, not just an approximation for the sake of this story. Anysnootch, after sufficiently falling in love with this pie, I looked for the recipe and low-and-behold; the chef published his recipe in the L.A. Times a few years ago. As a lazy person, I simplified some of the ingredients since I had a graham cracker pie crust from last Christmas in my baking cabinet. 

You will need the following: 

1 15oz can pumpkin puree

1/3 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1 c heavy cream

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1/3 c honey

1 tbsp corn starch

2.5 tsp pie spice 

pinch of salt

1 graham cracker pie crust

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon. 

Step 2: Bake 30 minutes or until edges darken. Middle should stay soft. Allow to cool and then chill for several hours. Keep refrigerated. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!