Grumpy Beer Geek

ThinkGeek :: Fundue – desktop USB Fondue Set — Just what you need to ease the tedious work day. Hot Cheese!

That’s right, ancho chile in pumpkin pie. Believe it or not, it’s the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. Not hot, the chile powder just enhances the flavor of the pumpkin.

Ancho Chile Pumpkin Pie

Pastry for a single-crust 9-inch pie, purchased or homemade

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 2/3 cups whipping cream
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground dried ancho chiles
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pastry and flute edges, then line
pastry with foil. Partially fill with pie weights or dried beans.

2. Bake pie pastry in a 375° oven until edges are dry and barely
golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove pie
weights and foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, cream, eggs, brown
sugar, granulated sugar, ground chiles, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
until smooth.

4. Pour pumpkin mixture into hot pie crust and return pie to oven.
Bake until center barely jiggles when shaken, about 45 minutes. Let
cool to room temperature on a wire rack, at least 2 hours. Cut into
wedges to serve.

“As a longtime cheese aficionado, The Chronicle’s weekly cheese columnist and a nightly wine drinker, I’ve reluctantly concluded that many cheeses give wine, especially dry wine, a rough time. But after several weeks of “research, ” including two marathon tastings, I’m convinced that beer as a partner for cheese rarely stumbles. It takes some knowledge of beer and cheese to engineer the most harmonious marriages, but intolerable mismatches are rare.” — Janet Fletcher from “BEER & CHEESE – Forget wine and cheese parties — the true soul mate for fromage isn’t made from grape juice”

After missing his book signings many times I finally get to meet Alton Brown, the host of Good Eats on the Food Network.
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