In a deathmatch, how hard can it be to pick a pumpkin pie?
You don’t want the answer to that question. You want a clear winner. You get one shot, one buy, to bring the perfect pumpkin pie to the holiday dinner. The family is depending on wise choices to go with all that whipped cream.
So here we have three Ohio pies, buyable at local grocers: Stevenson’s (the biggest and most expensive at $15.99), Judy’s ( $11.99) and Just Pies ($11.99).
We also have a taste panel of seven people who love pumpkin pie, and one curmudgeon who would rather be eating pecan or derby pie.
First up, Judy’s: It’s controversial. It has a nice, firm texture that holds together, and a pleasant, crisp cinnamon accent. It is a favorite with younger people, but less beloved by the older tasters. The lines are very neatly drawn in terms of age and reaction to the pie.
Next up, Just Pies: It’s softer than Judy’s. In fact, it’s downright creamy, which means that its slices have a harder time staying upright. Tasters thought this was the most natural-tasting pie in the bunch – with the pumpkin flavor being the most pronounced. It also got high marks from the self-professed crust expert; it has a bit of salt, perhaps, which makes for a nice contrast.
Finally, Stevenson’s: Upon tasting it, one taster proclaimed plans to go immediately to the store and buy this one. It’s firm, it has a good balance of seasoning and pumpkin flavor, and delivers quality with a substantial crust. All-but-one pumpkin pie fan had at least some level of affection for it.
As for the curmudgeon’s assessment: “They all taste like pumpkin pie.” No evangelical conversions occurred.
In terms of overall win on the pumpkin pie, it’d go to the Stevenson’s pie: it delivers the balance and quality that seems to impress the most diners.
In terms of recommendations, it’d be best to just go and get all three pies and host your own taste test at Thanksgiving. Fighting about the perfect pie is much preferred to fighting over the perfect politics.
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