Reply With Quote
That would suck.
Pumpkin shortage could mean empty shelves after Thanksgiving
Mother Nature may have sneaked off with a sought-after slice of Thanksgiving.
Recent heavy rains in the Midwest are putting pumpkin pie in short supply this holiday season. On Tuesday, food giant Nestle, which controls about 85% of the pumpkin crop for canning, issued a rare apology and said that rain appeared to have destroyed what remained of a small harvest this year and that it expected to stop shipping the holiday staple by Thanksgiving.
Supermarkets say supplies are tight, depending on the store.
Daymond Rice, a spokesman for Safeway Inc.'s Vons markets, said the chain had enough pumpkin to get through Thanksgiving. "However, we are concerned that we may not have enough -- or will not be able to acquire enough -- product to get through the full holiday season. It remains yet to be seen."
Albertsons said it believed it had enough of the canned pumpkin to last through Thanksgiving. It retails for $2.99 for a 29-ounce can. The grocery chain, a unit of Supervalu Inc., does not plan any shortage-related price increase.
The shortage affects the Libby's brand of 100% pumpkin in 15- and 29-ounce cans as well as Libby's Pumpkin Pie Mix filling in a 30-ounce can.
Some chains have been pushing fresh pumpkins as alternatives. At various points during the shortage, Sprouts Farmers Market has featured displays of a smaller, plumper California-grown pumpkin species than what is sold for Halloween jack-o'-lanterns. A sticker with each pumpkin provides a recipe for turning it into pie.
But Sprouts spokeswoman Patti Milligan said the season for pie pumpkins "is pretty much over, and only a few of our stores still have them."
Shoppers are adapting to the shortage.
Amy Davis, a retired art teacher and swim coach from Anaheim, is figuring out new ways to make pumpkin bread. Usually she uses canned pumpkin but this year is using a packaged mix she found at Trader Joe's.
Davis also has figured out how to use other types of squash as a subs ute. "Add some all e and cinnamon and you get something that tastes pretty close to pumpkin," she said. She also said that sweet potato pie makes a good subs ute.
Nestle says that once it runs out, it won't have more pumpkin to can until August, when the 2010 harvest starts. This year's shortage started several months ago and was the result of Libby's not having much surplus from the 2008 crop as a carry-over to sell in September. Nestle said in October that it expected the shortage to ease as the 2009 harvest got underway.
But heavy rains saturated the company's 5,000 acres of pumpkin fields in Morton, Ill., making it nearly impossible for tractors and other equipment to operate, Nestle said.
That will leave Libby's without any surplus to sell next fall while the 2010 crop matures and is processed. Libby's uses what it calls the Select inson pumpkin. It is smaller, squatter, meatier, heavier and sweeter than the typical Halloween pumpkin. The company likes the creamy texture of the pumpkin because it lends itself to cooking.
Nestle issued a formal apology to bakers and posted alternative recipes for desserts such as Holiday- ed Baked Cus and Chocolate Satin Pie on its VeryBestBaking.com website.
"If only we could have changed the weather. We hope Mother Nature is nicer to us next year, hopefully delivering less rain and more sunshine," said Paul Bakus, vice president and general manager of Nestle Baking.
Acres of pumpkins sit unharvested in Morton, and the longer the fruit sits in the muddy fields, the more likely it is that the quality of the pumpkin has declined, the company said. Nestle executives believe it is degrading to the point where they will plow it back under the soil to be used as fertilizer for next year's crop.
-------------------------------
I live for pumpkin pie in the winter. It is my single favorite food, period.
The thought of getting caught short this year means I will be getting my ass down to HEB and hording the stuff, biyatches. Don't stand between me and my pie.
That would suck.
RG's not kidding. He's a freak for pumpkin pie. I've actually seen him eat an entire pie in one night. No Cool Whip. He's hard core. I may have to break out Granny's sweet potato pie recipe to get him through Christmas.
I live for pumpkin pie in the winter. It is my single favorite food, period.
The thought of getting caught short this year means I will be getting my ass down to HEB and hording the stuff, biyatches. Don't stand between me and my pie.
I wish I could remember how much I need for my pie recipe. That is the only Thanksgiving thing I want - pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin pie is disgusting.
It should be able to find a good recipe online. It's a pretty simple cus , iirc: pumpkin, condensed milk, egg (?), sugar, cinnamon, cloves (?). Wow, I'm helpful.
You're a pecan man, aren't you?
lol
I know. I just have a really good recipe at home. I think it's 2 cans, but I can't swear to it, nor can I remember which size cans (basically, I rock).
Worst comes to worst, I'll eat a frozen one.
I usually make cheese cake.
I think it takes one Libby's can to make one pie, because you add in the milk and eggs and stuff.
For Thanksgiving? That ain't right.
Well, my family thinks it is right on!
Ingredients
Crust:
* 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
* 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the es. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
It is Paula Dean's recipe and it is real, real good.
homemade pumpkin pie cheesecake!
When we host at our house, I make pumpkin pie, pecan pie and chocolate mousse.
We're not hosting this year though.
Well that's going to suck.
This is horrible news. The holidays without pumpkin pie is like sex without an orgasm. It just ain't right!
Yes, it's excellent!
We are actually going out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving this year
Do any of you even know how Pumpkin pies are made?
Can't have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie! I'm going to the store tonight - hopefully the shelves will be stocked.
Growing up I always thought going out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving or Christmas meals was sacrilege. As I got older, I realized why some favored it. Clean up is a .Yes, it's excellent!
We are actually going out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving this year
That's good!Do any of you even know how Pumpkin pies are made?
And about what I think about pumpkin pie.
Exactly. I love to cook and we have a maid now, so clean up shouldn't be horrible. But, going to a restaurant is still easierWe are going to the Petroleum Club with LJ's family.
Exactly. I love to cook and we have a maid now, so clean up shouldn't be horrible. But, going to a restaurant is still easier
UH OH
kori and you wonder why the oscar dela crew thinks yall are cash chuckers, a maid?, like for cleaning? ROFLROFL even Dr. Regulator never had a maid
and then yall are going to the Haliburton Gables to eat with LJs family who are historically rich from a historical prospective and all went to Ivy league schools, historically speaking
We went to Tapatio Springs Country Club one year ... for $20 per person you got the traditional feast on a buffet, plus all kinds of appetizers .... caviar, and free-flowing champaign. It was pretty nice.
I'm cooking this year (again) ... I love cooking Thanksgiving. And, I already hoarded a bunch of cans of pumpkin because I'd heard of this before. User lives for it, too.
Tappatio Springs Country Club
I typo'd it ... fix it, dammit.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
