Ever since I moved up to northern Michigan I have been making pumpkin pie from scratch every autumn. The Amish around here grow delicious little pie pumpkins that make perfect pumpkin pie.

They’re so small by the way that I don’t even bother cutting mine into wedges. I just plunk that baby in half, put it face down on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet and roast it off.

And I don’t even puree, I just use a hand masher. I find that if the pumpkin is cooked enough, that’s enough.

But one mistake I made at first was not understanding that pie pumpkins are more finely grained than regular pumpkins. I bought a small pumpkin once that was not a pie pumpkin and roasted it off the same way and it came out stringy and unappealing.

But with the right pumpkin, it’s so fast and easy and so delicious.

I think I’d better head up to the Amish farm tomorrow and pick up some pumpkins. :-)