I am an American history nerd to the core, and believe it is incredibly important to reflect on the origin of Thanksgiving and think critically about the f*cked up American values that are at play. At the same time, according to several sources, more Americans eat pie this week than any other time of year. (There’s no point in citing sources because it’s kinda obvious.)
There’s a Jewish value that I hold dear to my heart – that we are meant to wrestle with contradiction, but not get stuck on it. So though it’s complicated that something I love so much is associated with a holiday based on one of the most horrendous historical moments in American history, I have decided that it doesn’t mean that those at my family’s Thanksgiving meal have to settle with mediocre pie.
This year, Cole and I made a relatively traditional apple pie with crumble top, and went all out with a second pie – pumpkin with candied pecans on top. Sounds amazing, right? Here are some shots:
yum!
can you see the pumpkin under the pecans?
a pair of pie fans
This was the first time I had ever candied pecans, and I had no idea it was so easy. Here’s the recipe:
2 cups nuts, broken into large pieces
10 tablespoons brown sugar (a little more than 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cinnamon (optional)
In a medium non-stick skillet, combine the sugar, butter, and cinnamon over medium heat and stir constantly until it becomes brown and melty bubbly. Add the nuts and stir constantly for 5-7 minutes until each nut is coated with the sugary goodness.
The nuts will harden pretty quickly, so while they are still hot, transfer them to the top of your pie. And that’s it!
Ru's Pie Club 