I thought I kept in touch with food news, because I do follow at least 500 other food bloggers on twitter, and more than that follow me back. We tend to share things that are going to affect our traditions like pumpkin pie made from Libby’s canned pumpkin. Oh, I might tout “local and fresh” all year long, but when October hits, I have to make at least two pumpkin pies using the recipe on the back of the can. It’s the taste I know and love, like the tollhouse cookie recipe, which I still believe is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe anywhere anytime. Oh come on, even the most sophisticated food blogger has a Betty Crocker side hiding somewhere.

But, I didn’t know that as I went up and down the aisle looking for canned pumpkin, even believing I would be able to buy those big fat cans on sale that  I would be driven into a panic as the store clerk said, “we’re out of pumpkin.”  It’s OCTOBER, you can’t be out. “There a shortage.”  As if my world hasn’t dramatically changed enough in the last year, it was too much to hear that there is no pumpkin. Is this the beginning of the end of my last bit of food luxury? 

I’m really not crazy! I was just caught off guard.

Normally, this kind of thing wouldn’t set me off, and I might even take that more righteous path of feeling sorry for the farmer’s that had a bad crop last year. Normally, I might even get one of those humbled heart moments that makes me realize all I have to grateful for.

But, this was the one time in my life I HAD to have canned pumpkin and I had a deadline.

You see I have this thing about birthdays. I told you a little bit about it here, and I let you in on a secret that I could spend a few years on a couch with my past childhood birthday  non-parties. So when I know that a boy in the neighborhood (who came to MY birthday party) is turning 8 the same day his parents are going on a little second honeymoon, it’s a given that I’ll be baking a cake. But I was told by his older sister who is very smart and protective, that he is not into icing and that he loves pumpkin, but he really likes bread and I knew my mission. Pumpkin muffins delivered while still warm in a basket, the kind of thing Brie on Desperate Housewives would do. And, it had to be ON his birthday, not a day later, when a new shipment might arrive.

In case you hadn’t realized by now, when I get something in my head to cook, that’s it. It will be done, especially if it’s for someone else, which, if it’s sweet, it usually is.  I heard via twitter that a Wal-Mart in another state had pumpkin and I was even willing to venture into that ugh, crowded parking lot and stand in a long check out line.

But, first a quick call to Retro Rose who spends at least half of her day at two grocery stores. (talk about someone that should lay on a couch), and she was at the meat counter. When I told her my dilemma, she headed west to the canned fruit section and told me they were “What, out of pumpkin?  Wait, I see one small can hiding.”  Only one can, I gasped. Get it quick. “I got it.”  Whew! I can do muffins with one can. But I have no spares or extras, so I can’t create my own recipe, (which is what I intended), but the Dorie Greenspan book was sitting out and surely she must have pumpkin muffins represented.

Dorie saved the day with a great recipe which she got from Sarabeth Levine, which I adapted to the likes of a little boy. No raisins, no sunflower seeds, but a few walnuts and it’s just right.

Tell me, what packaged good are looking for this holiday season that you just have to have because sometimes traditions are just so darn comforting?

Taste: Just perfect, not too spicy, not too pumpkiny, golden orange in color, tender crumb, and although I don’t eat much of what I bake (really), I saved two muffins for my husband, but I broke down the next day, heated it with butter and ate it slowly wanting the moment to last. My search for pumpkin muffin recipes are over.

Happy Birthday Ben

Recipe   adapted from Dorie’s Greenspan’s  Baking: From My Home to Yours.

Featuring a recipe by Sarabeth Levine

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

3/4 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1/8 t freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch ground allspice

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 t pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside

In a large bowl,  beat butter until soft.

On medium speed,  cream sugars into butter, until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time beating for one minute with each egg.

Add vanilla

Lower speed and add pumpkin and buttermilk.

Add dry ingredients. Do not over mix. (You may use a spatula for the last bit of flour).

Stir in walnuts.

  Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees, until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Notes: Original recipe calls for 1/2 cup moist raisins and 1/3 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds for topping.(I used to be part of TWD, but decided I would prefer to make just the selections we prefer. Stay tuned for a delicious chocolate caramel tart that the smart sister and I  made together for their mother’s homecoming).

Other treats you may like from Dorie Greenspan:

Key Words:  Pumpkin Muffins, Breakfast,

Spinach Tiger Entry 119 Angela Robert - Pumpkin Muffins and the Pumpkin Shortage

All original content (outside of adapted recipe) copyright © 2009 Angela Roberts, All Rights Reserved