I wanted to include a ration recipe on our Thanksgiving menu. I think many home front housewives would have been concerned with having enough sugar for their holiday baking, so I decided to use a pie recipe. This pumpkin pie is from the 1944 edition of The Good Housekeeping Cook Book. There were three pie recipes in a section called “Pies that Save Sugar,” including this Golden Pumpkin Pie and its maple-flavored variation. We made the maple version, but I thought you might want to have the Golden Pumpkin Pie recipe, as well.
Results
Many ration recipes for desserts leave a lot to be desired. When sugar is cut out or replaced, the flavor is often lacking. Molasses is a commonly used sugar stretcher or substitute, but a dish’s flavor noticeably changes when you add its strong flavor. I liked the maple syrup in this pie. It lends a hint of sweetness that really works well with the pumpkin and spices without changing the pumpkin pie flavor you are expecting. I would not have guessed that this was a ration recipe. This might be my favorite ration dessert recipe yet. A dollop of whipped cream makes it even better.
If everything works out tomorrow, I’ll add an apple pie recipe. I’ll also post a fun how-to on Thanksgiving Day. And never fear–I’m looking for a dish for your leftover turkey. Then it’s on to the December holidays! We’ll look at what the home front housewife was shopping for and what she wanted for Christmas. Plus, I see lots of cookies and baked goods in our future.
Looking for more Thanksgiving? Start here:
First Monday Menu: Thanksgiving Month
Thanksgiving: Honeyed Cranberry Relish and Sweet Potato Balls
History in the Kitchen 