In honor of the beginning of October, which, despite what the calendar says, is the official start of fall, I have decided to look into the history of pumpkin pie.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia which we have been told since elementary school is a prime source, defines pumpkin pie as a traditional sweet dessert, often eaten during the fall and early winter, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas in the United States and Canada. The pumpkin is a symbol of harvest time and is also featured at Halloween.
Now a little bit on the history of the pumpkin pie.
Native to North America, the first evidence of pumpkin pie would be pumpkin seeds found in Mexico in 7000 BCE. After it's first discovery, pumpkin seeds were exported to France and from there on to England, where the first pumpkin pie recipes have been traced to. The first pumpkin pie recipe can be found in Hannah Woolley's "The Gentlewoman's Companion," which published in 1675 in England. Pumpkin pie recipes were not published in America until the 19th century.
And thus, the fall pumpkin phenomenon was born.
To show how far the pumpkin has come, I have included a list of the most common to the most obscure pumpkin flavored food items:
Pumpkin Spice Yogurt, Pumpkin Spice Almonds, Pumpkin Oreos, Pumpkin Gum, Pumpkin Hummus, Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk, Pumpkin Vodka, Pumpkin Chicken Sausage, Pumpkin Spice Four Loko, Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts, Pumpkin Pie Spice Pringles, Pumpkin Pie Peanut Butter, Pumpkin Spice Listerine Strips, Pumpkin Ice Cream, Pumpkin Coffee Creamer, Starbuck's famous Pumpkin Spice Latté, and, wait for it...
Pumpkin Spice Condoms. Yes, you read that right.
It's safe to say America's pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice obsession may have gone too far, but that's fine by me.
Long live pumpkins, long live pumpkin spice, and long live pumpkin pie.
In closing, I have included a short poem entitled An Ode to Homemade Pumpkin Pies, from the November 28th, 1885 issue of Good Housekeeping.
Homemade Pumpkin Pies
"I've tried the best
In East and West,
I've lunched 'neath tropic sun,
I've tested all
The fruits that fall,
And like them every one;
But North or South
No human mouth,
I will the world apprise,
E'er tasted food
One-half so good
As our own pumpkin pies.
Upon the vine,
In rain and shine,
Through fragrant day and night,
The yellow globe
In emerald robe
Drinks up the summer light,
Oh, golden sweet,
The suns repeat
To mold thy luscious size,
That we may come
And roll thee home,
And make our pumpkin pies.
Our lovely girls,
With shining curls
Put neatly in a cap,
Cut slice on slice
And peel it nice,
And stew it to a pap;
Then milk is had
And eggs they add
And sweeten as is wise
While others haste
To spice to taste,
These home made pumpkin pies.
Oh pure and fair,
This food so rare,
Made up of all that's best!
No creature's pain
Goes to its gain
But only nature's zest;
For summer days
And autumn's haze
And smiles from beauty's eyes
Are in the dish,
Mixed to our wish,
That we call pumpkin pies.
No wonder, then,
That loyal men,
From Florida to Maine,
Their quarter eat,
The same repeat,
And pass their plate again;
That exiles fret
With vain regret,
And vex the air with sighs,
When forced to stay
In climes away
From their own pumpkin pies.
So to our boast
I give a toast,
Embroidered all in rhyme:
May pumpkins round
With us abound
Through future autumn time!
And may our girls,
With shining curls
And tender beaming eyes,
All learn by heart
The happy art
Of making pumpkin pies."
— Unidentified
