↗ View this article in the original PDF newsletter
Among the old-fashioned settlers, the pumpkin is much esteemed for pies, and a sort of molasses, which they prepare from the fruit by long boiling. When properly made, there is not a better dish eaten than a good pumpkin-pie. Now I must tell you, that an English pumpkinpie, and a Canadian one, are very differently made, and I must give the preference, most decidedly, to the North American dish; which is something between a custard and a cheese-cake, in taste and appearance. PUMPKIN-PIE
Select a good, sweet pumpkin, fully ripe; to ascertain if it be a sweet one, for there is a great difference in this respect, cut a piece of the rind and taste it, or cut several, and then you can judge which is best. The sweetest pumpkins require less sugar, and are much richer.
Pare and cut the fruit into slices, removing the seeds and also the fibrous, spongy part, next p to the seeds. Cut it into small pieces, and put it on the fire with about a pint of water, covering the pot close; you are not to bruise or stir it. Should the water boil away so as to endanger the pumpkin burning to the bottom of the pot, a small quantity more of water may be added. It will take three or four hours to boil quite soft, and of a fine brownish yellow. Some improve p the colour and richness by setting the pot on a few embers, near the fire, and keeping the pot turned as the pulp browns at the sides: but this requires to be carefully attended to. When the pumpkin is as soft as mashed turnips, pass it through a hair-sieve or a colander; p then add new milk and two or three eggs well beaten, with grated ginger; as much sugar as will make it sweet enough to be pleasant. Pounded and sifted cinnamon is frequently used as spice or nutmeg; but ginger and cinnamon are preferrable to any other spice for pumpkin-pies. The milk must not be sufficient to thin the pumpkin too much: it should be about the p consistence, when ready for the oven, of finely mashed turnips: if too thin you will need more eggs to set it; but it absorbs a great deal of milk, and is better to stand some little time after the milk is added, before being baked. Make a nice light paste; line your dishes or plates, and then put in your mixture. These pies p are always open; not with a cover of paste over them. A very rich pumpkin-pie may be made by adding cream, lemon-peel, the juice of a lemon, and more eggs. A finer dish, than a good pumpkin-pie, can hardly be eaten: and it is within the power of any poor man’s family to enjoy this luxury. If you do not grow this fruit, any neighbour will give you one for the asking.
Sources & Further Reading
From Catherine Parr Traill’s The Female Emigrant’s Guide originally published in 1855 by a printer in Toronto. “Mrs. Traill’s Advice” appears regularly in The Fife and Drum, sampling from this attractive and comprehensive new edition of an indispensable Canadian reference.
Original printed pages
