Day 329: The Comforts of Pumpkin

Last year right after Thanksgiving I came across a double-size can of Libby's pumpkin puree. So I bought it. The expiration date was good until 2013 and I figured buying it then would guarantee that I had pumpkin in the pantry come Thanksgiving 2012. I did save this extra large can for Thanksgiving this year but in addition to it, I have also bought two regular size cans to make pumpkin bread. This past summer a friend of mine from book club moved back to the US. In an effort to use up all of the dry goods she had in her pantry she made pumpkin bread for the last book club meeting she attended. I was completely inspired to make my own pumpkin bread so as soon as I came across a can of Libby's pumpkin I bought it. I am not even going to mention what I paid for it here, especially compared to what it would cost in the US. I'm just not going to go there but I will say that it is completely worth it to have pumpkin on hand for making emergency pumpkin bread.

So what did I do with the double-wide can of pumpkin that I'd been saving? With half of the can I made a lovely pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. It turned out to be probably the best pumpkin pie I have ever made and possibly the best pumpkin pie I have ever eaten. If you are interested to know the recipe it can be found here. I think the key to its goodness was using all brown sugar. I also used whipping cream instead of heavy cream that the recipe called for but I think they are about the same. All I can say is that my husband, normally not a huge pumpkin pie fan, was raving about it. It was so smooth and rich and creamy and the crust was just thin enough to not be overpowering but provide a flakey buttery crunch in contrast the the custardy goodness. I think I may have to have another pie later on.

This morning I used the remaining pumpkin and baked a loaf of pumpkin bread and a dozen pumpkin muffins, half of them with chocolate chips. The idea was to have muffins leftover to freeze for week day breakfasts but I'm not sure how many are actually going to be left by the time the weekend is over. Eating pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes and waffles as well as all things flavored with pumpkin is sort of one of those things that people in the US normally do during the fall. Sort of like how Swedish people eat Lussekatter (saffron buns) around Christmas time and semlor (almond paste-filled pastries topped with cream) during the weeks of Lent before Easter. I say normally however because my husband and I have a spiced pecan pumpkin and waffle mix that we have been saving and using sparingly throughout the past year. I might even be willing to admit that we made pumpkin pancaked at least one time during the summer. I know, it is nearly sacrilegious to even admit it let alone do it but it seriously could not be helped. Pumpkin breads and pancakes are one of those things that remind me of home and eating them gives me a small sense of the comfort of being back home.

 Best pumpkin bread ever.

Best pumpkin pie ever.

Day 327: A Beautiful Place

"Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place." - Kurt Vonnegut

Thanksgiving is a good day to remember things like Kurt Vonnegut's quote above. I find that it is much easier as I get older to fall into the trap of feeling cynical and angry. I've lived that much longer to experience some of the unpleasant things that life can dish out and it gets more and more difficult to have what they call, "the beginner's mind," or an openness to life's possibilities even in the face of destruction and pain. There are all kinds of quotes out there to remind us not to take the bad things too seriously but I know myself that sometimes it is just easier to give in to them and be a big old grumpy bear. And we all know how much fun it is to be around that person.

My husband and I often joke about how we plan to be grumpy when we get older, claiming that by then we will have earned it and will deserve to be as grumpy and crotchety as we want. It sounds fair, right? We also joke about dressing ourselves however we want (in our most raggedy clothes) and doing (farting) and saying (yelling at random strangers) whatever we feel like. We joke about it now but the reality of that happening is really pretty scary, don't you think? How much more pleasant would the world be if, by the time I reach a ripe old age, if I happen to be lucky enough to reach one, I am not a grumpy person but a kind, gentle person who has seen both the hard and soft things in life but chooses to live on the softer side? I'll tell you, much more pleasant. 

So this Thanksgiving, I will try to be softer in my thinking and speaking and remember that the world truly is a beautiful place. I will remember the wonderful relationships I have with my family and friends. I will remember the incredible opportunities that I have had in my life thus far, and still have awaiting me down the road. I will remember the joys as well as the sorrows and be thankful for them all, for they have shaped me into the person that I am today. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Now let's all go get softer around the middle and eat some pie!

 Pumpkin pie made with love!