Most people limit their pie preparation and/or intake to the
holiday feasts of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. (And
that is a shame, because pie should be enjoyed on every occasion.
And for no occasion at all.) Cake
hogs the spotlight at birthdays, weddings, and every other special
occasion, so these holidays are pie's chance to shine. Even if
you bake pies throughout the year, pull out all the stops for the
holidays. The pie aficionados will appreciate it, and the ignorants whose eyes (and palettes) have not yet been opened to the
greatness of pie will be converted. So go for it. Make a
pie that will wow them and throw them to the backs of their seats.
(And when the holiday is over, make the most of the
leftovers.)
| Thanksgiving | Christmas | |
| Outdoor Holidays |
Holidays should be a time for gathering with loved ones who won't judge or criticize a less-than-perfect dish. And some of the best memories are made from the recipe gone wrong. But if you know that certain relative is going to nitpick, or you just want to make this gathering special, a phenomenal pie goes a long way.
(It can be very hard to prepare food for someone on a restricted
diet. You may need some diabetic,
vegan, or
gluten-free recipes.)
And if you need to transport or ship a pie,
here's how.
Pumpkin pie is usually center stage at Thanksgiving. Pecan, sweet
potato, and apple also frequently play a role.
But why not change it up?
Autumn is the time of year for all gourds, not just pumpkin. Try
switching out the pumpkin in the recipe for a butternut squash, or
experiment with any of the exotic gourds typically found at the
grocery store this time of year.
Instead of traditional pecan pie, try a
bourbon pecan. Or go for
pure decadence with a
frozen caramel drizzle.
Apple pie is quintessential American. But there's no reason it
needs to be the same boring pie year after year. Try
apple raisin sour cream.
Or even a simple apple tart.
Or get those creative culinary juices flowing and substitute the
apples in the recipe for a different fruit altogether, like pears.
Of course, the traditional pies are Thanksgiving mainstays for a
reason. They're fantastic. Even if you decide to stick with the
traditional route, you can still wow 'em. The easiest way to make a
fantastic pie is to simply avoid the pitfalls that make a pie less
fantastic.
Everyone knows the hardest part of baking a pie is making the
perfect flaky crust. If you're not experienced at that, skip the top
crust altogether. Replace it with a
crumb topping. Or use cookie
cutters to turn your top crust into festive autumn shapes - no need
to worry about tricky lattices or crimping and sealing edges.
With all the time spent slaving over the rest of the meal, you may
want to rest a bit and whip together an
easy cream pie. And best of
all, they're easy to jazz up so they appear much more impressive
than they actually are. you'd be surprised at how people will gush
over a pie that took just a few minutes to throw together, just
because of a little fancy garnish on top.
If your Thanksgiving celebration has a certain theme or atmosphere,
try to select your pie recipe accordingly. Here are a few
suggestions.
Most people are so focused on the gifts that the meal is barely an
afterthought. And Christmas is so soon after the Thanksgiving feast
(not to mention all the holiday parties and bingeing going on) that
it's hard for anything to break through the holiday
stupor. The challenge is to present a pie that will hold their
attention for at least a few minutes. Luckily after the usual fare of
cakes and cookies, a pie really is something new and different.
Forego the insidious fruitcake brick and
send a delightful pie instead!
But what kind of pie is appropriate for the winter holidays?
Pumpkin
and apple were already played out in the fall. It's the wrong season
for berries.
Banana and
peach are sadly out of season, as
well.
Think white. Chocolate. Warmth. Maybe a little peppermint.
Spruce it up with the typical holiday decor. Holiday cookie cutters
are great for making fun shapes in the crust. Candy canes, holly
sprigs, jingle bells. The fancier the garnish, the more the audience
will oooh and aaah over it.
Some recommended Christmas pie recipes:
Amaretto Cheesecake
Angel Cheesecake Pie
Bailey's Irish Cream Mousse Pie
Candy Cane Cheesecake
Grasshopper Pie
Macadamia Nut Pie
Marble Cheesecake
Mincemeat Pie
(Mincemeat is typically associated with Christmas.)
Peppermint Stick Pie
Red Velvet Cheesecake
White Chocolate Raspberry Pie
There are many "eat outside" holidays. So you'll need a pie
that will travel well and hold up to the summer heat. Custards
are out. And you probably don't want to make anything that
requires lengthy oven time. Try:
Apricot Tart
Peach Raspberry
Cobbler
Fluffernutter Pie
Frozen Lemonade Pie
Strawberry Jell-O Pie
Or if you need a main course instead of dessert, a
BBQ Pie is great because there's no
dairy to rot in the sun.
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*The Fine Print
