# What makes Pumpkin pie so good?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 4, 2001, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463 "2001-10-04T23:08:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cyrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Cyrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrin)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/1 "2001-10-04T23:08:44Z")
I just had pumpkin pie for dessert! It was wonderful! All those supurb tastes and textures! Anyway, have you ever had raw pumpkin? Don’t! It’s gross! Why is it that when you put some spices and a crust around something as gross as pumpkin it turns in to (arguably) the best pie there is?? My girlfriends mother once said “It’s all spices, pumpkin is just the medium” Anyone have any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/2 "2001-10-05T00:31:17Z")
There are a few things that make everything taste good. Sugar, fat, and salt. In a basic pumpkin pie, you have all three: sugar (or condensed milk, or maple syrup), butter, cream, and salt (in both the fling and crust). The pumpkin, which cooks down to it’s sweet, starchy nature in the canning process, is just an excuse for the cream and sugar. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Add a little ice cream for even more fat, sugar and salt and you are in taste bud heaven. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/3 "2001-10-05T00:33:06Z")
You can make ‘pumpkin’ pie out of many different things. It’s the spices that make it work. I usually make it out of carrots, since fresh pumpkin is really hard to get up north. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/4 "2001-10-05T00:33:59Z")
ugh…pumpkin pie. I say nothing makes it taste good, but I guess I’m strange that way. ---
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/5 "2001-10-05T02:20:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth \* > \*\*You can make ‘pumpkin’ pie out of many different things. > It’s the spices that make it work. I usually make it out of carrots, since fresh pumpkin is really hard to get up north. \*\* TANGENT: Ginger: How are the berries this fall? ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/6 "2001-10-05T02:48:26Z")
You don’t make pumpkin pie from pumpkin. You make it from squash. What ever it’s made from, cold it’s the world’s best breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/7 "2001-10-05T07:35:00Z")
Sweet potato pie is also excellent! Never made one. ---
**Author:** ![Gartog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/22d042/32.png) [@Gartog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gartog)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/8 "2001-10-05T09:06:28Z")
Roast pumpkin is really great. ---
**Author:** ![Broken\_Doll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Broken\_Doll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broken_Doll)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/9 "2001-10-05T14:20:36Z")
I’ve never tried pumpkin pie before. Does anyone have an easy recipe for it? I might try it out. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/10 "2001-10-05T14:26:11Z")
This is the recipe from the back of the pumpkin can and it’s damn near foolproof. [http://www.recipe.com/whatcook/recipes/libbypump.htm](http://www.recipe.com/whatcook/recipes/libbypump.htm) If you can’t get canned pumpkin near you, I think you roast small pumkins to get the pulp but I’m not exactly sure how. Someone else will have to help you. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/11 "2001-10-05T14:26:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth \* > \*\*I usually make it out of carrots, since fresh pumpkin is really hard to get up north. \*\* Even Julia Child sees no point in making it out of fresh pumpkin, since, as **Çyrin** ’s girlfriends mother said, “Pumpkin is just the medium.” She (Child) recommends the canned stuff. And we cannot forget the eggy goodness that holds it together in a custardy gloop! ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/12 "2001-10-05T14:29:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hello Again \* > **If you can’t get canned pumpkin near you, I think you roast small pumkins to get the pulp** Wife, who doesn’t pay any attention to Julia Child, pokes a few vents in a whole pumpkin with a chopstick, puts it in a pan, and bakes it at 350F until the skin starts to brown. It peels real easily then and you scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon. Almost as easy as opening a can. ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/13 "2001-10-05T14:36:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Çyrin \* > **My girlfriends mother once said "It’s all spices, pumpkin is just the medium"** You have a girlfirend??? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cyrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Cyrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/14 "2001-10-05T14:45:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Maximum Override \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Çyrin \* > > **My girlfriends mother once said "It’s all spices, pumpkin is just the medium"** > > You have a girlfirend??? > 😃 \*\* 😃 You have teeth! (for now… :mad: ) ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/15 "2001-10-05T14:50:12Z")
Making pumpkin pulp is easy. Chop the thing into 5 cm squares (about the length of your thumb), and boil it in slightly salted water until it goes soft. Takes about half an hour or so. Only then do you bother taking off the peels, because they’ll just slide off (even if it is damn hot). Squish, measure out 2 cups to a baggie, squash out air and toss in freezer until needed. Great for pies and soup. I do it every year with my jack o’lantern. ---
**Author:** ![Broken\_Doll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Broken\_Doll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broken_Doll)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/16 "2001-10-05T14:56:31Z")
Yummy. Thanks for the recipe link **Hello Again** , I’m going to make my very first pumpkin pie soon. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Cyrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Cyrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyrin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/17 "2001-10-05T14:59:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broken Doll \* > \*\*Yummy. Thanks for the recipe link **Hello Again** , I’m going to make my very first pumpkin pie soon. Yay! \*\* Enjoy it! It won’t be your last! Muhahahahahahahahahhahahahaahahaaaaaaaaa! ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/18 "2001-10-05T15:04:11Z")
I think the fact that you probably don’t eat it very often makes it taste good. Sure, it is good in and of itself, but I’ll wager that you don’t make a pumpkin pie every week. It becomes a treat when you do make one, and that adds to the whole experience. I like mine with whipped cream and lots of nutmeg and cinammon. ---
**Author:** ![ChordedZither](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9c0ed/32.png) [@ChordedZither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChordedZither)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/19 "2001-10-05T15:09:58Z")
This time of year, Little Debbie Snacks markets a seasonal cookie called Pumpkin Delights: it’s a pumpkin-filled oatmeal cookie. I normally gag on anything produced by that company, but they actually hit a winner on this one. (Now where’s that box…) ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463/20 "2001-10-05T15:18:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Violet \* > \*\*Sweet potato pie is also excellent! Never made one. \*\* If you like pumpkin pie, do yourself a favor and try a sweet potato pie. Same sort of thing, and, IMO, better. Back when I lived in the East Bay, Uhuru House periodically had fund raisers in which they sold baked goods outside the supermarkets. I learned to treat that as a signal to snag a sweet potato pie, as surely as the Girl Scouts signalled “thin mints”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-pumpkin-pie-so-good/85463.md?page=2)