The year 1882 was in the midst of the Gilded Age, an era of prosperity from 1870 – to 1900. …
November 20, 2024
I’m certain I’m not the only one cleaning grandmother’s pie pan this week. It’s almost Thanksgiving, a time to give thanks for the bounty in our lives. It’s a time to enjoy friends, family, football, and food! I love the traditional Thanksgiving feast of turkey and dressing, green bean casserole, candied yams, cranberry sauce, and of course pumpkin pie. Not just any pumpkin pie but my grandmother’s recipe pumpkin pie baked in her 1950’s clear glass Pyrex pie pan. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it.
Grandma’s pie pan only gets used once a year at Thanksgiving. I must be honest; I didn’t clean it as thoroughly as I should’ve last year, might have been in a hurry to watch football or maybe it was the Pinot Grigio, but not to worry, I know how to clean it.
I’m going to clean grandmother’s pie pan the same way she cleaned burnt food and cutlery stains off her Pyrex cookware – with Bar Keepers Friend.
Cleaning Grandmother’s Pie Pan
Over years of use older Pyrex cookware becomes stained with oils, burnt bits of food, and yellowish grease stains. Grandma used original Bar Keepers Friend Powdered Cleanser and so can you. I like BKF Cookware Cleanser & Polish, which is specially formulated to remove stains from glass, ceramic casserole dishes, and other cookware.
- Wet the surface of the pie pan
- Sprinkle BKF Cookware Cleanser & Polish
- Spread the cleanser to coat the surface for 10-15 seconds
- Scrub the dish with a damp sponge or non-scratch scrub pad
- Let it rest for one minute
- Rinse within one minute of application
- Repeat as needed
- Dry a soft cloth
- Continue to polish the dry pan to restore it to its original shine
What about Knife Marks on the Pan?
Here’s what one of Bar Keepers Friends advocates shared about removing cutlery marks and scuffs from Pyrex.
“If you want to erase cutlery marks and scuffs from a glass dish, especially opaque vintage Pyrex, Bar Keepers Friend is your best bet. This cleaner makes short work of scuff marks on glass dishes and other surfaces, and I’ve had great success using it to remove scratches from ceramic plates and porcelain sink.” — Everything You Need To Know About Cleaning Pyrex
Here’s a one-minute video showing how to clean vintage glass bakeware to like-new condition with powdered Bar Keepers Friend, DIY Cleaning Vintage Pyrex Glass Bakeware with Bar Keepers Friend
Would You Like Grandmothers Pumpkin Pie Recipe?
I know some families are reluctant to share family heirloom recipes. If grandma’s pie was part of a franchise selling pies I’d understand, but it’s not. I’d rather share the recipe for others to enjoy. My grandmother would have liked that.
To begin with, this recipe doesn’t come from a can. It starts with one small to medium size pumpkin. Preparing the pulp from a pumpkin isn’t difficult it’s fun.
Preparing the Pulp
- Cut the pumpkin in half
- Scape out the seeds
- Preheat oven to 350
- Place the two haves open side down on a baking sheet with aluminum foil
- Bake about 45 minutes until it’s fork tender
- Peel away the skin
- If you really want to follow grandma’s recipe, use a potato masher to mash the pulp (I use my blender)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups pumpkin pulp
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk (Grandma used Borden’s)
(My mom said Grandma didn’t always have all the spices but she always had cinnamon)
The Crust
Okay, I have never made a crust like grandma, so if you know how, have at it. I buy frozen premade crusts.
Steps
- Preheat oven to 425
- Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl stirring in the evaporated milk last
- Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly mix the ingredients
- Place the filling in an uncooked crust
- Here’s a little trick, only bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425 then lower it to 350 and bake for another 45 minutes.
Test the pie by sticking a knife in it. If it comes out a little wet but clean it’s ready. If not give it another 10 minutes.
Grandma always finished the pie off by letting it cool and then sprinkling just a bit of cinnamon on it. I don’t know if grandma had whipped cream back in the day but I’ve always topped my slice with whipped cream.
Happy Thanksgiving from All of Us to All of You!
Let me know if you try the recipe, enjoy, and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
About the Author
Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek and on weekends (after COVID-19) he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management.
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