A Pumpkin Pie Goodbye

Someone brought me a pumpkin today. That in itself is not extraordinary. At the end of September in Saskatchewan, members of the squash family lurk in vehicles and in boxes on the porch, waiting to be "gifted" to the unsuspecting. My back room at the restaurant is crammed with all manner of gourds, who trip me up, then make me smile with indulgence at their sunny colours and eclectic shapes.

But this particular pumpkin is special. It will sit in a place of honour on my front counter until its dark, gorgeous green begins to mottle with bits of orange. Then I will carry it to the kitchen, sharpen my best knife, and transform it into a silky, savoury soup, a deep, cinnamony, comforting pie and a cookie sheet full of sweet, crunchy seeds.

As I serve those morsels, I'll remember the note that accompanied the gift.
"Mom said Dad was growing a pumpkin just for Jenni."

Lester died in August, before his pumpkins were ready for harvest. He was 90. He made us laugh at coffee time, repaired my irksome espresso grinder, advised a steamed pudding adventure (see earlier blog post) and, as a veteran, spoke to school children about his WWII experiences. He golfed his best game a week before his death and had a spring in his step always.

But this isn't an obituary. It's a recipe. Open your heart. Fill it with family and friends and meaningful daily activity. Add humour as needed. Good cooks generally withhold an ingredient or two, but I think that was the gist of Lester's life. And here's the pumpkin pie we'll be sharing at coffee row in a few week's time.


Maple Whisky Pumpkin Pie:

3 cups pumpkin, pureed with an end of thumb sized chunk of fresh, peeled ginger root
3 eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup whisky
1/8 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
3 pinches each of salt, ground cloves and ground black pepper
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 cup flour

*In a large bowl, whisk flour into pumpkin puree. Add the remaining ingredients, combine well and pour into a nice, deep dish, HOMEMADE pie crust (phone or e-mail me if you need help with your first real crust. It's so worth the effort.)Another idea is to use a brownie bottom. Just make sure you don't spread the batter too thin or it will burn before the pumpkin is cooked. Bake at 375 for 15 min., then turn down to 350 for about 40 min. until crust is golden and top of pie starts to crack a bit. Remember that the pie will keep cooking as it cools, so don't over bake. If you're not quite sure it's done, turn the oven off and let the pie hang out in there, door closed, for half an hour or so. Top with maple and whisky spiked whipped cream. MMMMMMmmmmmmm!!!!! Enjoy!