Could Illinois soon have Pumpkin Pie as our State Pie?

Could Illinois soon have Pumpkin Pie as our State Pie?

If wishes come true, it certainly is possible. Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance has been collaborating with the National Pie Council. We suggested they participate at the Illinois State Fair by sponsoring a contest. We recently wrote a letter supporting Pumpkin Pie as an Illinois State Pie.

There is now Pumpkin Pie for the Illinois State Pie petition, which perhaps you could download, complete, then mail to:

Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance
280 Laurel Avenue
Highland Park, IL 60035

Bring it on. I love pumpkin pie.

HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any damn state grows pumpkins. Illinois, however, leads the U S A in soybean production. (Usually.)

Illinois - THE SOYBEAN PIE STATE!

Roger Ramjet wrote:HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any damn state grows pumpkins. Illinois, however, leads the U S A in soybean production. (Usually.)

Illinois - THE SOYBEAN PIE STATE!

Bring your soybean pie to the picnic, I double dog dare you!

Regards,

Wikipedia wrote:According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 95% of the U.S. [pumpkin] crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois.

source

JoelF wrote:

Wikipedia wrote:According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 95% of the U.S. [pumpkin] crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois.

source

I don't like pumpkin pie. I tried to think of a better candidate for our state pie but I couldn't think of any type of pie more deserving of the title, mostly due to the factoid that Joel posted. Pumpkin pie has my grudging support.

The only reason I know this, is because I had an uncle & aunt that lived in Canton, IL. When I was a kid, pumpkins were the first crop I had ever seen, that weren't grown around home. It's a big eye opener, to a 5 year old, to see a field full of pumpkins, when everybody knows fields are supposed to be full of corn, soybeans & wheat...... nevermind the fact they weren't orange.

Here's a YouTube video that shows the process: Pumpkin Capitol

Tim

Roger Ramjet wrote:HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any damn state grows pumpkins. Illinois, however, leads the U S A in soybean production. (Usually.)

Illinois - THE SOYBEAN PIE STATE!

I agree with the reasoning, but I'm not down with the soybeans. What about ramps? Can we make a savory pie with ramps?

I will shed no tears if pumpkin pie is not named the IL state pie. I really dislike it. As my son would say, "pumpkin pie is totes bogue."

=R=

JoelF wrote:

Wikipedia wrote:According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 95% of the U.S. [pumpkin] crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois.

source

I'll jump on the bandwagon seeing as we have a legit claim.

ronnie_suburban wrote:I will shed no tears if pumpkin pie is not named the IL state pie. I really dislike it. As my son would say, "pumpkin pie is totes bogue."

=R=

+1
Although the rest of my immediate family loves the stuff.

Roger Ramjet wrote:HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any damn state grows pumpkins. Illinois, however, leads the U S A in soybean production. (Usually.)

Illinois - THE SOYBEAN PIE STATE!

Illinois is also the #1 producer of horseradish. Far worthier of recognition.

spinynorman99 wrote:

Roger Ramjet wrote:HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any damn state grows pumpkins. Illinois, however, leads the U S A in soybean production. (Usually.)

Illinois - THE SOYBEAN PIE STATE!

Illinois is also the #1 producer of horseradish. Far worthier of recognition.

Why not petition to make horseradish the state condiment, or whatever category deems reasonable.

I still hope for your soybean pie. I have made bean pie, so I know it is doable.

Regards,

Thank you all for your support.

I happen to know one of my alderman's best friends' brother in law, so the "State Condiment" thing is pretty much a done deal.

As for our future State Pie, I would welcome suggestions re savory* soybean + ramp options.


* Or sweet.

I don't think I've ever come across someone who doesn't like pumpkin pie, yet there are three in this thread already. What is wrong with you people? Go pumpkin pie! (Although sweet potato pie is even better.)

I don't think I've ever come across someone who doesn't like pumpkin pie, yet there are three in this thread already.

i don't actively dislike pumpkin pie, but it's about 20th on my list of pie preferences. It was, however, a great alternative to the inevitable mince and/or occasional pecan pie served on my childhood extended-family holiday tables. (Still not a fan of either of the latter, to be honest.)

I'm not sure it's the pumpkin I hate so much as the pumpkin spice combo. Regardless, count me NOT a fan

Now pumpkin beer is another story. Pumpkins and/or pumpkin pie spices just don't belong in beer. (I may make a slight exception for Southern Tier's Pumpking, though.)

Interesting about the pumpkin pie. I just thought it was one of those pies that everyone loved. The expression really should be "As American as pumpkin pie," in my opinion.

Of course, the best pie is rhubarb pie, or possibly strawberry-rhubarb pie (and don't you start you rhubarb purists!)

boudreaulicious wrote:I'm not sure it's the pumpkin I hate so much as the pumpkin spice combo. Regardless, count me NOT a fan

I had a really really good Fresh Pumpkin pie once without any of those spices. It was very squash-y and tasty.

Binko wrote:Interesting about the pumpkin pie. I just thought it was one of those pies that everyone loved. The expression really should be "As American as pumpkin pie," in my opinion.

I agree with you completely on this, well said! And I'm also with you on keeping pumpkin flavor out of beer. But you lost me at rhubarb.

Hi- Actually winter squash is supposed to make a better pie than pumpkin. I don't know how true it is, but my father used to say that a lot of the frozen pies had winter squash in them and not pumpkin.

leek wrote:I had a really really good Fresh Pumpkin pie once without any of those spices. It was very squash-y and tasty.

Honestly, the "pumpkin pie spice" is the problem, not the pie. A hint of nutmeg is fantastic, a blast of it a bit much. Clove is even more powerful. Almost any sweet recipe I see calling for clove, I just use a bit of allspice. I'm not sure cinnamon belongs in there either. Round things out with a little dried ginger and a touch of cardamom, and it's OK.

All of which should be used sparingly. In my mind, the flavors should go
Pumpkin > Cream > Nutmeg > Allspice > Ginger > Cardamom > Cinnamon > Clove (with the latter approaching zero)

Most "pumpkin spice" things go
Clove > Allspice > Nutmeg > Cinnamon > Ginger > Cream and Pumpkin approaching zero

NFriday wrote:Hi- Actually winter squash is supposed to make a better pie than pumpkin. I don't know how true it is, but my father used to say that a lot of the frozen pies had winter squash in them and not pumpkin.

When I lived abroad, I used to make them every Thanksgiving from the local pumpkin equivalent, which was something that looked like butternut squash (and probably was butternut squash, but the locals translated it as "pumpkin" to us English speakers.) At any rate, they worked really well, and there were never any leftovers. Like I said above, sweet potato also works well, and ends up being pretty close for most people to pumpkin pie in flavor, and is generally easier to work with. For me, the main spices are ginger and cinnamon, then nutmeg (or mace) and allspice (optional), and a hint of clove. Still, they should be accent flavors. I probably use half to two-thirds the amount most recipes call for. Also, a little bit of black pepper, I find, works well. Should be a small amount--you certainly don't want the pie to be peppery. And, of course, the sugar needs to be brown sugar or something with that molasses-y edge to it.

Binko,

Your approach of using whatever local squash is really a classic pie. Before it was pumpkin pie, it was called squash pie from whatever squash was available to you.

I make sweet potato pies, too. Especially since they use the same spices, it pretty much tastes the same and looks the same. People need to be informed whether it is sweet potato or pumpkin-squash.

Regards,

I love using leftover sweet potato and pumpkin both, whipping it up with butter eggs and milk and making it like it was a souffle.

Voting with my rolling pin and whisk:


This recipe from Fine Cooking makes a great pie-- light custard, subtle spicing with nutmeg predominant (no cloves), and a fine creamy pumpkin taste.
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/clas ... n-pie.aspx

That said, we are a house divided on the subject of pumpkin pie, with "yes" votes from my husband and me, and a resounding "NO" from my daughter.

Jen

It's heart-warming to see so many loyal Prairie Staters standing firm against the pumpkinlover media blitz!

Remember: "Soy, Soy, Soy for Illinois!"

Roger Ramjet wrote:It's heart-warming to see so many loyal Prairie Staters standing firm against the pumpkinlover media blitz!

Remember: "Soy, Soy, Soy for Illinois!"

Here's a recipe too-- bet it's not half bad.
"Soybean Pie Faux Pumpkin"
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-d ... ipe=444153