Good evening, welcome to our series sharing Unique Holidays: December 25th, 2021. It’s National Pumpkin Pie Day. If only my daughter Suzzie was here because she loved Pumpkin Pie and like my dad couldn’t get enough of it. How about you. Do you like Pumpkin Pie?
National Pumpkin Pie Day
The symbol of the Harvest Season in Fall and the dessert passed around most at the Christmas table gets its special day on National Pumpkin Pie Day, December 25th. A Pie Shell base filled with Pumpkin Custard, Pumpkin Pies are garnished and served with various Spices like Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger. If you missed out on celebrating National Pumpkin Day around Halloween, now is the time to celebrate National Pumpkin Day.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PUMPKIN PIE DAY
While it is uncertain how National Pumpkin Pie Day celebrations started, Pumpkin Pie itself has quite a rich history. The name originates from the Greek word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’. This was adopted by the French as ‘pompon’ and was eventually changed into ‘pumpion’ by the English.
The first Pilgrims who settled in the Plymouth Colony may have made a sort of Pumpkin Pie. With Pumpkins brought to them by Native Americas, the first settlers were able to make Pumpkin Custard using Milk, Honey, and Spices. This is also what led to the serving of Pumpkin Pie at the first Thanksgiving ever.
In 1651, famous French Chef François Pierre de la Varenne published one of his most important French Cookbooks, “Le Vrai Cuisinier François” (The True French Cook). This was translated into English in 1653 and featured a recipe for Pumpkin Pie under the name ‘Tourte of Pumpkin’.
Recipes for ‘pumpion pie’ made their way into English cookbooks by the 1670s. Experimental recipes lessened, and a more defined version started appearing, with the inclusion of Spices. Other optional ingredients included Raisins, Apples, and Currants.
In 1796 Pumpkin Pie really took shape when “American Cookery” was authored and published by American Orphan Amelia Simmons. It was the first of its kind to contain recipes more suited to American tastes and had a recipe for Pumpkin Pudding, which is baked in a Crust. This is similar to the Pumpkin Pie we eat today.
Nowadays, the recipes for Pumpkin Pie are endless, thanks to Pinterest and other sources. Pumpkin Pie is a staple dessert on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Pumpkin Pie really is the perfect Holiday treat.
NATIONAL PUMPKIN PIE DAY ACTIVITIES
- Cut yourself a slice of Pumpkin Pie and really take your time adding the garnish and add-ons like Whipped Cream. Sweet indulgence at its finest!
- The Pumpkin Pie filling is now used in other food items including Smoothies and Cookies. If a Pie is not your thing, try it in a different form but with the same great taste!
- If you’ve baked a Pie, discovered a Bakery that makes it best, or tried a new recipe, post it on Social Media! Don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalPumpkinPieDay.
5 PUMPY-UMPY FACTS ABOUT PUMPKINS
- The largest Pumpkin Pie in the world was 20 feet long and arrived at the New Bremen Pumpkinfest. It consisted of 109 gallons of Milk, 1212 pounds of canned Pumpkin, 2796 Eggs, 15 pounds of Cinnamon, and 525 pounds of Sugar!
- In the olden days, Pumpkins were mostly used as an ingredient for making Pie Crusts, rather than used as a filling.
- Did you know at one time Pumpkins were famous for curing Snake bites and getting rid of freckles?
- The traditional American Pumpkin is the Connecticut field variety.
- Can you imgaine the first Jack-o’-Lanterns were made using Potatoes or Turnips! It wasn’t until much later on when Pumpkins were considered a more suitable choice.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL PUMPKIN PIE DAY
- We have to admit, people have Pumpkin fever! They love the versatility in which Pumpkin is used in recipes, from sweet to spicy. Americans go crazy for Pumpkin Spice Latte!
- Which other Fruit is so iconic that it spans over three big Holiday celebrations? Pumpkins are at the center of Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas and deserve their own Holiday!
- The dinner table is incomplete on Christmas without a Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkin Pie gets passed around a lot and is loved by almost everyone. It is a tradition to have Pumpkin Pie during the Holiday Season.
National “Kiss the Cook” Day
I couldn’t find anything to explain why this Holiday takes place. But being Christmas Day and with everything that most moms go to prepare Christmas Day not only should we kiss the cook but if you ask me, we should bring them FLOWERS to say thank you for all their hard work.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
