Canned pumpkin here is ridiculously expensive and there’s no such thing as ready-made or frozen pies. But fresh pumpkin is cheap! When I’m in a big hurry, I cut the pumpkin into cubes and cook it in the microwave. It usually only takes 10-20 minutes. Not as good as cooking it in the oven, but still delicious. We love pumpkin pancakes, too, though, so I cook a whole pumpkin at a time and keep the puree in the freezer. Just let it thaw and it’s as easy as canned.

And because I fall into the category of crazy that would actually make a pumpkin pie out of actual an actual on-the-vine pumpkin I have to ask you what variety of pumpkin you use. City girls liek me either need to make it to a farm stand and buy a pumpkin someone else has grown or attempt to grow one myself in the 3 square feet I have available for the pumpkin growing. So given that, what variety of pumpkin is best for the pie making? I’ve heard not to use jack-o-lantern pumpkins because they’re too watery. On the other hand, I’ve heard to use Sugar Pie pumpkins but I don’t think it gets cold enough down here to grow that one. Suggestions?