Pumpkin Shortage Could Dampen Holiday Spirits

I had heard about the pumpkin shortage on TV the other day and the possible "threats" it might pose to your traditional pumpkin pie shortage.  My mother told me that the grocery store near her was limiting customers to two cans.  She offered her cans for me, both of thinking that maybe we could sell these for a tidy little profit on the Black Market.  Today at Target, I paid over a dollar per can!  YIKES!!!  Here's more on the story from NBC Chicago:

Pumpkin Shortage Threatens Holiday Pies

Fans of pumpkin pie may be in for a big disappointment at this year's Thanksgiving dinner. Nestle -- the company that sells about 90 percent of the canned pumpkin in this country -- had a bad harvest and won't be canning any more delicious pumpkin goo this year.

Nearly all the pumpkins that wind up in Nestle cans are grown on a huge farm in Morton, Ill.  Heavy rains there made harvesting this year's crop nearly impossible, and the pumpkins rotted in the field.   It seems that cold, wet September we had in Illinois is coming back to haunt our holiday tables.

Nestle put a very public apology on its Web site, but said there's nothing it can do.

"Mother nature had other plans for us," the company said.

The purists out there can, of course, still use fresh pumpkin or search for another brand -- but you better hit the grocery soon. Don't be surprised if, the day before Thanksgiving, there's none to be had.

A couple of suggestions:


1)  I would NOT try making your own filling from fresh pumpkin.  It's labor intensive and will very likely turn out gross.  (It's hard to get all the stringy fibers out.)

2)  Pay the higher price and horde, horde, horde!!!  The shortage could last through next holiday season, too!


3)  Why not substitute sweet potato pie?  I had it for the first time a few years ago, after telling my mom I had never had sweet potato pie.  Honestly, I found the taste very similar.  For your convenience, here's a recipe I found at allrecipes.com:  I've never made it before and can't personally vouch for this recipe, but it's worth a try!

Sweet Potato Pie 

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) sweet potato
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.