Pie is one of the stars of the baking world in America. Pie controls a lot of the baking world in America. It's can be compared to "Kuchen" in Germany.
Pie is delicious.
Pie is absolutely amazing.
Pie is everything I want in a dessert.
Pie is comfort food at its finest.
So why does no one in Germany really know what I'm talking about when I say the word "pie?"
It almost doesn't exist here. How can something so popular in one country not exist in another? Especially something as good as pie. I want to compare it to Kuchen... but it's not... Because pie isn't cake... Pie is Pie...
Got it??
If you were to survey Americans what the best type of pie in the Fall is.... you would, of course, get this answer:
Pumpkin!
Naturally, when I was asked to bring in a recipe for Halloween/ the Fall season to test in the bakery... I chose pumpkin pie.
If you haven't grown up with pumpkin pie, it sounds weird. I know, I get that. I got a lot of funny looks when testing out this recipe.
In the end, the pie did not turn out as planned. But it 's okay... because that's what tests are for! Let me explain:
We make a pumpkin bread (delicious!). However, the pumpkins we use are an enormous, German type called, Gelber Zentner. We came to the conclusion that this type was certainly not the right kind for pie. It matters which kind of pumpkin you use when you are using fresh pumpkin... trust me. The taste was too vegetablly (is that a word?). What I should have used were a sweeter type of pumpkin that is typical in pies, desserts, and Kuchen. So... lesson learned. It just means that I'll have to try again!
Meanwhile I was lent a book on pumpkins from my boss to find the right type of pumpkin needed for a phenomenal pumpkin pie! Who knew there were so many different kinds?!
I JUST had this exact same conversation with my coworkers! (I'm in Cologne) I wanted to borrow a pie tin to make apple pie, but all I managed to do was puzzle everybody. I've decided the best way to get them to understand the awesomeness of pie is to bake for them so they can see for themselves!
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled across your blog and read the entire thing in one sitting! I love it.
ReplyDeleteI am originally from Germany, but I moved to France when I was 12 and went to an international school... And I spoke neither language very well. So I totally know your pain when it comes to learning and speaking a new language (or two in my case)!
Anyway, your blog is amazing. I will probably go to the US for university soon and I am already expecting culture shocks...
Believe it or not, the very best pumpkin pie I've made from scratch used butternut squash. Kid you not, it was SO good. Also, butternuts are easier to get ahold of in Europe I find than sugar-pumpkins, which are what's generally used for pumpkin pie in N. America. :) Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThey make an amazing pumpkin tarte in France, the filling is almost the texture of a creme caramel and they literally just put pumpkinchunks, 500ml full fat milk,200g sugar, vanilla seeds and pod on a simmer for 30 min and then cool and whisk 2 eggs through it and bake it in the pastry case for 30 min - my kids would eat it all year round.
ReplyDeletePumpkins are like corn, there is a certain type for everything. The big ones are kinda like your field corn, animals eat it but it doesn't work well for cooking.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, it is your solemn duty to introduce these poor deprived people to the delicious world of the pumpkin pie! Even if you have to have your mom send you a can of good old Libby's to do so. My heart breaks for the poor souls, my life would not be complete with out the wonderful custardiness of a whipped cream topped piece of pumpkin pie.
ReplyDeleteLibby's, so right for a wonderful pumpkin pie!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way about bread when I moved from Germany to Canada for three years. I couldn't find decent bread anywhere, the stuff sold in stores was a joke, and the few bakeries I could find seemed to be selling cake almost exclusively.
ReplyDeleteTo me what Canadians referred to as bread was to be used for toasting only, and they had no idea what I was talking about when I asked them where I could find "real" bread.
I eventually did end up finding decent bread, at a small bakery run by a fellow German, no less. It was rather expensive though and the place was pretty far away, so I only had some once in a while.
Katie, I hate pie.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Maggie
You should try a pumpkin chiffon pie...very yummy!
ReplyDeleteWe made pie - Pumpkin pie in Dusseldorf...we found and american store and bought a graham cracker crust pie just to dump it out to get the pie pan! It turned out okay but cost us about 50 dollars when it was all said and done! Oh we do love our pie!
ReplyDelete