The Pumpkin Pie Puzzle
 
Pumpkin
pie may feel like the ultimate fall classic, but it wasn’t always the dessert we know today. In colonial America, cooks didn’t have pie crusts like we do now.
 
Instead, they would hollow out a pumpkin, fill it with milk, honey, and spices, and then set
the whole thing into hot ashes to bake. The result was more like a creamy, custard-like filling inside a roasted shell...a far cry from the slices we serve at Thanksgiving.
 
Over time, as flour, butter, and ovens became more widely available, the recipe shifted. The pumpkin was no longer the baking vessel but the star
ingredient inside a flaky pastry crust.
 
By the 1800s, pumpkin pie had taken the shape we recognize, cementing itself as a symbol of harvest celebrations and family gatherings.
 
Today, pumpkin pie is so tied to autumn that it’s hard to imagine the season without it. From homemade versions passed down through generations to the store-bought standby, it’s a dessert that carries tradition with every slice.
 
And while whipped cream toppings and spice variations may change, the heart of the dish remains a link between the simple resourcefulness of early cooks and the comfort of modern holiday tables.
 
My family loves pumpkin pie. As a matter of fact, I think I'll bake one tonight! 
 
 
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