# Pumpkin pie and spices **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872 "2015-12-19T20:58:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/21 "2015-12-20T12:46:10Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Hmmm… vanilla taste? I never knew about that. The hot toddies I had with the Jack Daniels and Bigelow orange herbal tea gave no hint of vanilla. [MORBO the DESTROYER]TEETOTALING DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY![MtD] ---
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/22 "2015-12-20T14:00:34Z")
FYI - Most people have never experienced a real pumpkin pie. The _brown mush_ ☹ sold in cans and grocery stores at Thanksgiving is creamed butternut squash. Real cooked pumpkin is orange-ish and has texture. When I was little I’d help my grandmother “butcher a pumpkin”, cook it, and then make a pie using her wood stove. We used pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, and milk mixed to taste. Freshly cooked _REAL PUMPKIN_ mixed with nutmeg, sugar, and a little milk is a good snack or desert. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/23 "2015-12-20T14:11:46Z")
In addition to the above suggestions, you can get some excitement if you include some freshly grated ginger root as well. 'Bout a teaspoon per pie. Grated candied ginger root is also nice. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/24 "2015-12-20T15:18:23Z")
I use cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and a dash of vanilla extract. I like to double the amounts of typical recipes to make the pie extra spicy. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/25 "2015-12-20T15:45:20Z")
> [@Nefario](#): > > FYI - Most people have never experienced a real pumpkin pie. The _brown mush_ ☹ sold in cans and grocery stores at Thanksgiving is creamed butternut squash. Real cooked pumpkin is orange-ish and has texture. When I was little I’d help my grandmother “butcher a pumpkin”, cook it, and then make a pie using her wood stove. > > We used pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, and milk mixed to taste. Freshly cooked _REAL PUMPKIN_ mixed with nutmeg, sugar, and a little milk is a good snack or desert. I’ve made pumpkin pie several times from scratch using pie pumpkins or whatever they call them and, I hate to say this, it wasn’t worth the effort as the stuff from the can was–for me–just as good. I literally could not tell the difference. To be honest, the best “pumpkin pie” is made from sweet potato. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/26 "2015-12-20T16:25:26Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > [MORBO the DESTROYER]TEETOTALING DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY![MtD] Let me point out that I had these hot toddies ONLY after I discussed this with a physician, at a local hospital. FWIW, they failed to relieve the laryngitis and I abandoned the notion. I have not tasted whiskey since (23 years). ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/27 "2015-12-20T20:55:37Z")
> [@Nefario](#): > > FYI - Most people have never experienced a real pumpkin pie. The _brown mush_ ☹ sold in cans and grocery stores at Thanksgiving is creamed butternut squash. Real cooked pumpkin is orange-ish and has texture. When I was little I’d help my grandmother “butcher a pumpkin”, cook it, and then make a pie using her wood stove. > > We used pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, and milk mixed to taste. Freshly cooked _REAL PUMPKIN_ mixed with nutmeg, sugar, and a little milk is a good snack or desert. I don’t know what cheapass crap you’re buying that’s brown, Libbys is definitely orange and 100% Dickinson pumpkin. At any rate, of all the people I have ever known to bake their own sugar pumpkin for pie, not one has ever thought the effort was worth it in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/28 "2015-12-23T22:03:44Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I use cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and a dash of vanilla extract. I like to double the amounts of typical recipes to make the pie extra spicy. I also double (at least) the amounts shown in the recipe, but retain the approximate ratios. I also throw in some allspice and mace. I made pumpkin tarts for a potluck at work this week, hoping the pumpkin pie spices would go well with the South Indian dishes, and I think they did. They were especially tasty with the traditional chai - many of the same spices. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/29 "2015-12-23T22:38:01Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I don’t know what cheapass crap you’re buying that’s brown, Libbys is definitely orange and 100% Dickinson pumpkin. At any rate, of all the people I have ever known to bake their own sugar pumpkin for pie, not one has ever thought the effort was worth it in the end. I know people who think it’s worth it, but more because they enjoy the process than because it tastes any different. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/30 "2015-12-24T11:34:33Z")
I’ve been using the recipe on the can of Libby’s canned pumpkin, but multiplying the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves each by 2.5 times the amounts they recommend. And a graham cracker crust. Gotta have a graham cracker crust. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872/31 "2015-12-24T13:45:19Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’ve made pumpkin pie several times from scratch using pie pumpkins or whatever they call them and, I hate to say this, it wasn’t worth the effort as the stuff from the can was–for me–just as good. I literally could not tell the difference. To be honest, the best “pumpkin pie” is made from sweet potato. 🙂 …and I’ve gotten the best spices from the four corners of the earth and ground them myself. No difference, or at least not as much difference as you could easily get just using more of the stuff you buy at the nearest grocery store. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pumpkin-pie-and-spices/740872.md?page=1)