Friendsgiving 2017

If you are one of the three regular readers I have you are more than aware that my Thanksgiving pasts are less traditional and more nomadic. In fact I can't recall the last time I emotionally binged on pumpkin pie at the same place two years in a row. I have rightfully declared my Thanksgiving tradition being 'no tradition'. And I stand by that. 

Almost three years ago I found myself standing in the elevator lobby of my apartment building trying to convince myself that it was okay for a middle aged gay man of no sports interest to attend the building sponsored Super Bowl Party. In the end the maternal guilt of my mother whispered in my ear and my 2 hours at that party were the catalyst for three years of relationship building leading to this year's Friendsgiving. 

This Monday before Thanksgiving I will sit down with nearly 30 people for Friendsgiving. None of them are blood related. But almost all of them are family now. 

We are 30 strong and most of us transplants to North Carolina. From as far south as Johannesburg, to the outskirts of The British Isles, as far west as the Alaskan Final Frontier, and as close as the BBQ capital of the world. Between California and New York we have most states covered. We are restauranteurs, lawyers, small business owners, artists, doctors, creatives, singers, craftsman, academics, and mostly all can be called smartasses. But despite our varied backgrounds we manage to not totally piss each other off on a regular basis. Perfect grounds for any dinner party. 

There is a meme going around that perfectly sums up this event. It roughly says something about how odd it is that as humans we just randomly meet strangers and then just start hanging out. 

So naturally I trusted no one else with desserts. I will be bringing a couple pumpkin pies and a cheesecake. 

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VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE

RECIPE FROM LIBBY'S

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

1 Cup Unbleached Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Organic White Sugar

3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Almond Milk

3 Tablespoons Canola Oil

2 Tablespoons Water

1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

Filling:

2/3 Cup Organic White Sugar

3 Tablespoons Tapioca Flour

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 Can (15 oz.) Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR CRUST:

COMBINE flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in medium bowl. Combine almond milk, oil, water and lemon juice in small bowl. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture; stir until combined.

ROLL out dough on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin to an 11-inch circle. Transfer to 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Crimp edges as desired.

FOR FILLING:

MIX sugar, tapioca flour, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in large bowl. Stir in almond milk, pumpkin and vanilla extract until combined.

POUR into unbaked pie crust.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes until center is set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with Coconut Whipped Cream, if desired.

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FOR MORE THANKSGIVING SHENANIGANS TRY THESE POSTS FROM PAST YEARS

BUFFALO TURKEY OPEN FACED SANDWICH

THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS PAST AND PRESENT

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE AND DRAG QUEENS

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Pioneer Vinegar Pie

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Things I Learned This Week Living In The South: 

1. While casually dining with a local friend, her mother, and her aunt. You have to ask for clarification when you overhear "Your great Uncle Gus haunts that house to this day. You know the house that was in The Color Purple movie. Shame they couldn't get him to the hospital any faster after that rabid dog bit him."  

2. After hearing of Uncle Gus and his tribulations you are even less shocked to learn that one of your neighbors who you thought was a gentile septuagenarian, was in fact part of the story behind the film American Gangster. Cue the shame filled Wikipedia midnight searching. 

3. If you have to take the time to ponder if wearing your nap jeans to a social event is okay it might just be a Netflix and Chillurbate kind of night. 

So after binging on Netflix I decided that in the spirit of still taking recipes for Thanksgiving on test drives I would challenge myself to make a dessert with only ingredients I had in the house. And if you've been to my house as of late you know all I eat are apples, eggs, and La Croix. 

Having just run out of apples I was forced to do some internet digging and found this gem of a recipe from my dear friend Martha. It's as vintage as my taste in 80's tv shows. 

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Pioneer Vinegar Pie

RECIPE FROM MARTHA STEWART

INGREDIENTS

2 T all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

2 T unsalted butter

1/2 cup light-brown sugar

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1/6 t freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 t salt

2 t cider vinegar

1 cup plus 1 teaspoon water, divided

3 large eggs, divided

1 t turbinado sugar or sanding sugar

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Roll out 1 disk of dough (SEE RECIPE BELOW) into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, and trim edge of dough to rim. Roll out remaining disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate, along with dough in pie plate, until firm, about 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Whisk in brown sugar, flour, spices, salt, vinegar, and 1 cup water. Lightly beat 2 eggs, and whisk into mixture. Return bowl to pan of simmering water, and cook, stirring often, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Pour filling into crust, and place top crust over filling. Trim excess, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under bottom crust. Press to seal, and crimp as desired. Beat remaining egg with remaining teaspoon water; brush top of pie with egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Use a sharp knife to slash 6 vents radiating out from center of pie. Bake pie until golden and surface has puffed, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 45 minutes. Serve slightly warm with ice cream.

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Foolproof Pie Dough

RECIPE FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)

1 t table salt

2 T sugar

12 T cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1/4" slices

½ cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup vodka, cold

¼ cup cold water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage-cheese curds, and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

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FOR MORE THINGS I'VE LEARNED WHILE LIVING IN THE SOUTH CLICK HERE!

OR HERE

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