Southern states used to consider Thanksgiving an act of Northern Aggression. Quit enforcing your New England values on me, Donald.https://t.co/xUYjFDB4hw— Jimbo Barry (@jmbarry1313) November 27, 2019
This article pushes pumpkin pie as the quintessential dish of a Yankee Thanksgiving, and I don't doubt it. But then it pushes sweet potato pieces the universal equivalent in the South.
I grew up in the South. I was in my 30's before I ever heard of sweet potato pie. I think I've eaten it once since then. If pumpkin pie is northern because it uses squash and molasses, pecan pie is southern because it uses corn syrup and pecans. I can't imagine Thanksgiving without it. In fact, I didn't make one this year, and I'm getting twitchy about it. There's no room in the fridge for it, I probably wouldn't serve more than one slice (and it would be to me), but I would sooner skip the turkey and poach fish than not prepare a pecan pie.
I gave up on pumpkin pie a long time ago. Like Garrison Keillor said, the best pumpkin pie is no better than the worst one, it's just an excuse for mediocrity. Besides, I still remember my grandmother's pecan pies at Thanksgiving and Xmas. I've read pecan pie was an invention of corn syrup makers, to sell more corn syrup. I don't really care. Nostalgia is a powerful drug.
May it be unto your according to your memories and joys.
I always liked pumpkin pie but I can't tolerate sugar or milk anymore. I don't know. We did't eat much pie, Thanksgiving was one of the few occasions we had it, along with the cherry pie we had on George Washington's Birthday. I always loved sour cherries, the only sweet=sour thing I could stand. But, as I said, a declining pancreas or something ended that.
ReplyDeleteI read, or heard, that pecan pie was invented or pushed during the depression as a way to get people to use up corn syrup. Don't know. I love pecans, wouldn't be able to wait for a pie.
Well, Frito chili pie was invented by Frito Lay to sell more Fritos, and its still the only way I consume them. Another childhood memory.
ReplyDeleteI have discovered candied pecans, and don't buy them because I will eat all available until they aren't. I love pecan pie but don't want to eat the whole thing myself. My other holiday favorite is the buttermilk pie my grandmother made. I could make myself sick giving in to memories this time of year. I sure can't eat like I could when my age was in single digits.