Pumpkin Pie with Frosted Cranberries/Reunited

Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for so many Americans. 

The appeal is obvious–we gather around a table with our family and friends and celebrate everything we’re grateful for.  It’s the meal itself that draws people together for this holiday. It’s all about the food and the connections with friends and family.  I was curious about the origin of this holiday (not the story of the pilgrims and the Native Americans-we all know that), but how it actually became a national holiday and why certain dishes are essential to its celebration.  

The Godmother of Thanksgiving was Sarah Josepha Hale.  She was a former schoolteacher who was widowed with 5 children.  To support her family, she became the editor of a popular women’s magazine.  She loved the idea of this tradition and had written her plea to every president as well as every governor in every state for nearly 20 years to adopt it as a holiday.   It wasn’t until the deep divisions of the civil war that she was able to convince President Lincoln to declare the last Thursday of November Thanksgiving-a national holiday.  Lincoln was convinced because he was looking for any way to unite our very divided country. 

And now, to a much lesser extent, I think,  Americans are again in need of something to unite us. In a microcosmic way, many of us will have the opportunity to do this around our Thanksgiving table.  If you are like me, you might have people gathered who are deeply at odds right now. It may be the same people that you’ve celebrated this holiday with for a long time, but things have been different in recent years.  It may be very difficult to sit across the table right now, even if certain subjects are forbidden. But for me, and hopefully for you as well, the origin of one of our most beloved American holidays might remind us that uniting our country and our wonderful variety of people was never meant to be easy. 

As I was researching, I learned that the traditional foods we eat were basically just some of the favorites of Sarah Hale.  Since she was from New England, much of the seasonal, local produce from that area still stars in our traditional Thanksgiving foods.  I love that we’ve kept these traditions, but regional or cultural twists show up in many of the dishes depending on the origin of the person making them. Sort of like how all Americans add a little something special to our melting pot. 

 Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce-all important to the celebration but the most important of all (in my opinion) is the pumpkin pie. It’s just not Thanksgiving without it.   This pumpkin pie recipe unites two traditional elements: pumpkins and cranberries. The sugared cranberries are amazing-they have a delicate sugar crust and they pop in your mouth-delivering a burst of tartness that complements the rich sweetness of the pie.  The gingersnap crust adds another warm and spicy layer. Once you’ve made a homemade pie, you might never be tempted to buy store-bought again.  

                “The Pumpkin”

  By John Greenleaf Whittier 

“Ah! on Thanksday, when from East and from West,

From North and from South comes the pilgrim and guest;

When the gray-haired New Englander sees round his board

The old broken links of affection restored;

When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more,

And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before;

What moistens the lip and what brightens the eye,

What calls back the past, like the rich Pumpkin pie?”

pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust and Frosted Cranberries

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz gingersnaps
  • 1/4 cup unsalted melted butter
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups whipping cream, divided
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Frosted Cranberries

  • 2 cups sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries

Instructions
 

  • First, make the cranberries: Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Add the cranberries and stir to coat completely. Spreads in a single layer on a wire rack or parchment paper. Let stand for 1 hour or until dry but sticky. Place the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl. Add the cranberries in batches and toss gently to coat, arranging on a clean wire rack or parchment paper. Let stand for 1 hour longer.
  • Process the gingersnaps in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Melt the butte in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook until the butter is golden brown and smells nutty, swirling the saucepan slowly. Pour over the gingersnaps in the food processor and pulse until blended. Press over the bottom and side of a 9-inch pie plate. Chill for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
  • Bake the pie shell for 15 minutes. Remove the crust, and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  • Combine the pumpkin, 1 cup of cream, brown sugar, eggs, salt and all spices in a large bowl and mix well. Spoon into the piecrust. Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is set, covering the crust with foil if it is browning too quickly. Cool on a wire rack.
  • Beat the remaining 1 cup cream in a mixer using the whip attachment until soft peaks form, starting on low speed and increasing gradually. Add the bourbon and granulated sugar. Beat at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle the pie with sugared cranberries. Serve with whipped cream.
Keyword Autumn, Dessert, Pumpkin Pie, Thanksgjving