Your Weekly Pie #4

Sorry for the delay, everyone. I had one of those weeks- it was debilitatingly busy. Despite that, there were a couple of highlights. The first being watching the vice presidential debate at Manuel's here in Atlanta. The second was making this pie.

It's a pumpkin pie, with a ginger snap crust and vanilla cream top.

I learned a lot from this pie. The pumpkin filling that the WHCC called for was very traditional. I got to buy my favorite seasonal spice, cloves. Just shopping for the ingredients made me excited for autumn.

The American South gets a bad wrap for autumn, I think. While the chill doesn't set in as early here, it lasts longer, and I love the freedom the long, cool season provides. When I hopped on my bike to head to Manuel's, I wore my first tights of the fall season along with a skirt and light sweater. Growing up in Northern Indiana, I revel in this freedom of dress for fall. I remember countless Halloweens with princess dresses pulled over snow pants. I love that I can stay cute and stay ouside.

But back to my pie, again, it was a learning experience. I put the vanilla cream on too quickly after the pie came out of the oven and it started melting all over. A quick trip to the freezer saved the pie, and next time I'll know better. The combination of components worked wonderfully though. The vanilla was cool on the spicy pie filling, and the cookie crust was rich and crispy.

This week, I may take a break from pie in favor of another dessert item. I'll keep you updated.