23 November 2008

What's for dessert?

I'm in charge of dessert for next week's Thanksgiving dinner. I love baking, plus I can prepare everything beforehand and relax on the day itself, so I was quite happy to draw the sweets straw. But what to serve? Ice cream for the kids, fresh fruit for the health-conscious.....and pumpkin pie?

Bleh. I'm not a fan of pumpkin pie. Don't get me wrong -- I love pumpkin. It makes great jack-o-lanterns and fall decorations. It's sturdy and long-lasting. I even like it as a food. It's oh-so-nutritious, full of vitamin C and A and fiber. I love roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread. But as a dessert?

I'm still amazed that people would make a dessert out of plain old kalabasa. Because I didn't grow up with it, it just seems plain weird, like the sayote that used to substitute for apples in the Manila McDonalds' apple pie. Actually, I like sayote pie (it tastes just like apple pie, and for all I know, McDo still uses it). Maybe it's that custardy spiciness that I don't like, the eggy, creamy texture. Whatever -- you get the picture.

If it were up to me, I'd nix the pumpkin and bake an apple pie. No one in my family likes it (although 3Po and Jammy would probably eat it -- they'll eat anything). Neither my sister nor her kids like it; her husband is indifferent (and he's on a diet anyway). But what about her husband's sister? She's Filipino, but her husband is American as apple pie -- meaning he likes his pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Should I make a pumpkin pie knowing full well he's going to be the only one to eat it, or should I ditch tradition and make what I want?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As you said, you're in charge of dessert. I say make what you like and what you think most people will also like.