Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Watch-It Wednesday: The Debate

And so the chaos begins - I love Thanksgiving! Mama's currently making her second "last trip" to the grocery store (the second of many, if history truly repeats itself) and we're madly writing lists for what needs to be done between now and 2pm tomorrow afternoon: cleaning the house in anticipation for my cousin's arrival (so jazzed about that! Most of us haven't seen him for a few years!!), decorating with our small assortment of Thanksgiving smiles, baking gingerbread for the houses we decorate Thanksgiving morning, and I -- I get to make the pies.

We like our pies, here. It is a great tradition to make far more pie than we could ever possibly eat after a full Thanksgiving meal, thus leaving the left-overs for breakfast the next morning (or next several mornings, as the case may be). Nonetheless, despite the delightfulness of my delectable job, Thanksgiving week always dawns with its fair share of controversy in the dessert department: traditional pumpkin pie, or southern sweet potato?

My daddy loves his pumpkin pie - the flavor, the tradition, the unquestionable "right-ness" of having pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I mean, it's practically a rule, yes? As necessary to the Meal of Gratefulness as a turkey! Me? I can't handle pumpkin pie - never have been able to. Gracious, it's not the flavor! I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin lattes - but the thick-and-creamy texture of the pumpkin pie is too much of an overload for me, so I prefer the lighter (but similarly-flavored) sweet potato option.

Now, as I said, we like our pies - so we are fortunately saved from the awful fate of ending our discussion in fork-stabbing by the obvious solution of making both! However, inevitably, in the course of our traditional debate, the following song surfaces...for obvious reasons. {My mama was a Texan girl, and let me tell you - I like these good ol' country songs far more than the stuff being written today!).} Even the pumpkin-eaters can't help singing along!


Which do you prefer - pumpkin or sweet potato? Vote and let me know! Meanwhile, I'm off to make this year's six (6) pies of choice: sweet potato, pumpkin, pecan, peanut butter silk (a family tradition), apple, and sugar-free apple (for my grandma :). Happy Thanksgiving-Day preparations to you!


5 comments:

Unknown said...

Well firstly I have to say I am with you on the music thing. I'm a big fan of country music, possibly because of its ties with our traditional Scottish music.

As for the pies, well to our British palates pumpkin pie is just a bit of a strange concoction! We just don't think of pumpkins being sweet! I have tasted it once. One of my best friends is from Tennessee (she had the good taste to marry a Scotsman and lives here now!) I tried her pie once, which was OK but I do like the idea of a sweet potato one. Sounds much better! I must ask her, as a southern gal if she makes that.

Happy Thanksgiving day to you and all of your family. I hope your mama doesn't have to make too many more 'last' trips to the shops :0)

Oh, and do show us all your pies too!

Mikaela said...

Oh my goodness--six pies? You should just make a pie per person! ;-) We made pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust this year. Perhaps that would appeal to you more? It turned out delicious. I must say, though, I've never had sweet potato pie. However, I love the traditional pumpkin version!

SarahJayne said...

Kirsteen, I'm delighted to hear we're on the same page, musically! :) It is so interesting to hear of the cultural differences between our countries - I'm generally the odd one out for not liking pumpkin pie! What do you put pumpkin in - or do you bake with it much?
Mama didn't have to make any more "last trips" - so hurrah on that account! And I will see if my sis' got pictures of the pies before the were consumed! :)

Mika, I would love to have your recipe, sometime! Since my daddy loves pumpkin and cheesecake, it sounds like a winning combination!

Unknown said...

We use pumpkin for soup and also a roasting vegetable. Otherwise, not much else, although Starbucks are doing their utmost to convert us Brits to pumpkin flavoured coffees and such!

I asked my friend about sweet potato pie and as soon as I mentioned it she started singing that song! Her cousin's husband (or something like that) was the singer in that band!

She's not too keen on the pie though, but she doesn't have a really sweet tooth like I do!

SarahJayne said...

Wow - the world truly is small. How crazy to know someone in that band! If you try sweet potato pie, you will have to tell me how you like it! :)