Operation Pumpkin Pie. Code name: Chuseok Kitchen

Thanksgiving has traditionally been my favorite American holiday, so spending it in Korea without my family or food was a bit sad for me. Instead of staying sad, however, I determined to bring a little bit of Thanksgiving to my Korean family here. Easier said than done.

I mean, what kind of kitchen doesn't have a potato masher? Or even forks...? While even my small, inadequate American (Thanksgiving) kitchen holds most tools and ingredients necessary for pumpkin pie, my family's Chuseok (Korea's Thanksgiving day) kitchen was a bit lacking in the pie area...

So this is how it went.

1) Before heading to Seoul, I quickly looked up how to make pumpkin puree - just in case I couldn't find any canned pumpkin.

2) I took a look through the kitchen to figure out what I would need.

3) Jinju and I headed to E-mart where I developed a recipe in my head, and bought the following ingredients:

2 small, green pumpkins (the only kind available here)
cinnamon
vanilla powder
milk
butter spread
baking flour
brown sugar
vanilla ice cream
baking soda
and a pizza pan (they don't sell pie pans here)

4) I then gutted the pumpkin and while it was roasting, I made a streusel apple pie, because APPLE PIE!

5) We then peeled and mashed the pumpkins, and I made some kind of filling that looked and tasted fairly authentic...

6) Finally all we had to do was wait, and wait... 

7) Then it was done - some time around midnight. And we ate.

To say it was absolutely wonderful - like a little bit of Thanksgiving heaven, would not be a stretch. To say it was the best pie I've ever made or eaten, well, that might be a bit of a stretch. BUT, it was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!

8) The last step was impressing my Korean family enough for them to beg me to come back so we could cook more (and drink Soju together - that's another story you will probably hear later...). And I almost made one of my American friends cry - it was that good. 

Ok, nevermind. The last step is...

9) Feeling like a million dollars. Because I did it! I made Thanksgiving in a Chuseok kitchen. And because I brought happiness to so many people!