Monthly Archives: November 2014

A pumpkiny experiment

Food

cone-shaped sieveMany years ago, back when I still lived with my parents. Back when I was still in love with an Englishman. Back before I’d ever heard of a food processor I decided to make pumpkin pie from an actual pumpkin. Back then I imagine we made our pumpkin pies from canned pumpkin pie filling (the sweetened kind — not the pumpkin puree). I really don’t know because I have never been a real fan of pumpkin pie. Which is why this is so confusing — me making a pumpkin pie from a pumpkin.

stringy pumpkinThe only thing I actually remember about making the pie was putting the pumpkin through a cone-shaped sieve on tall legs. I remember using a wooden pestle and smushing the cooked pumpkin through the holes in the sieve. I do sort of vaguely remember presenting Jeremy with the pie, but it doesn’t logistically make sense since Jeremy only ever visited in the summer — before pumpkins were for sale.

A few years ago I helped my mom go through her Wisconsin lake house kitchen. She wanted to donate some stuff that she never used. During the kitchen cleaning we came across a cone-shaped sieve with a wooden pestle. I asked if I could have it because I remembered making that pie. She said I could take it home.

the sieve at workOnce at home I put the cone-shaped sieve and wooden pestle away and forgot I had it for the most part, but when pumpkin season came around I wanted to buy a pumpkin, cook it and put it through the sieve like I did so many years ago. I didn’t even get to the sieve part because during baking the Pyrex casserole dish on which I’d placed the pumpkin halves exploded in my oven.

It took me seven years to work up the nerve to try again and I nearly forgot to use the sieve. I found a recipe for pumpkin puree on line (okay 2,270,000 recipes) and proceeded to roast the pumpkin (no Pyrex exploded in this episode), put it through the food processor, then measure it into Ziploc bags. I was about to fill the second bag when I noticed little white bits in the puree. I didn’t want stringy pumpkin pie. Then the light bulb came on. The sieve!

stringless pumpkinI put the remaining puree through the sieve (after cleaning it well — it had been collecting dust for the past 7 years after all — and was amazed at the lack of strings. I finished the puree this way and now have 14 cups of stringless pumpkin puree in the freezer.

I still do not like pumpkin pie — but the rest of the family does — so perhaps this will be a success. I don’t know when, if ever, I will use the sieve and pestle again, but I am glad I remembered it for this task.

And no, I still have not made anything from the puree.

A list of books

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I posted this on Facebook after being “tagged” by at least 3 people to post a list of ten books that somehow influenced me. Mali suggested I post this on my blog. As I said on Facebook, I think the main connecting theme of my list is that I have vivid memories of reading each of them — and images in my mind of the characters, settings and plots. I can even feel the emotion I felt when reading each of the books.

1. Five Smooth Stones by Ann Fairbairn — this book opened my eyes to the civil rights movement. Many of the characters still live with me to this day.

2. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote — I read this in middle school. The images it evoked are still etched in my mind.

3. Dracula by Bram Stoker — the first non-young adult novel I ever read (in 7th grade). I adored stories about vampires and this was a classic.

4. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (she also wrote 101 Dalmatians) — “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink” is one of my favorite opening lines.

5. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (Yes I know this is 7 books, but I consider it one large book) — I loved these books which I read in my teens, although my teacher read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to us in 6th grade. I’ve re-read several of the books since my first reading and shared them with my students and children.

6. Billy Brown the Babysitter by Tamara Kitt — the first book I ever read on my own. I remember suddenly being able to read and just read it.

7. My Book House Books edited by Olive Beaupre Miller — another set of books, but each one was extremely important to me. These books made me a reader. I learned so much about literature from this set. The very best gift my parents ever gave me was this anthology set of 12 books (which seems to be available for purchase again! I wonder if it has been updated for political correctness.)

8. The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu — I received this book to review for a website before it was published. I didn’t have high hopes since it was written by a — then — unknown author, but absolutely loved it. I rarely re-read books, but have read this one a few times. I wrote the first Amazon review about this book. The next day I got to meet Mr. Mengestu. When I told him my name so he could sign my copy he recognized it and thanked me for the review.

9. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters — a well-written ghost story in which a house is a main character.

10. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson — I’d never read anything by Shirley Jackson except The Lottery but I liked the Gothic-like look of the cover of this book so bought it and read it. It is another book in which a house is a main character. Very well written and another book I re-read.