And I thought it came from cans.

The cold-hearted Libby’s corporation has too long held us hostage in our holiday traditions. For too long, those purveyors of pulverized pumpkin pulp have pushed their canned wares on a generation of piemen and women. For too long, we have let this foreign-owned subsidiary dominate the processed pumpkin market and deny us our God-given right to American pumpkin pie exceptionalism.

To this I say: no more. To those that know naught but the taste of soured and bitter metallic-tasting canned orange mush, I say there is a better way.

This November, let us bring change to tradition and take back the pumpkin as a gourd of the American spirit. This Thanksgiving let’s send a message to foreign corporations that try to can our national heritage: Thanks, but no thanks, Libby’s – I’ll make my pumpkin puree myself.

Though I’m not much of a baker, I have been making pumpkin pies since I was 7 years old. That year began a tradition in my family that would leave me indefinitely responsible for providing pumpkin pie at every Thanksgiving. Each year I’d do little variations on the standard recipe. Maybe more nutmeg? Maybe a decorative puff-pastry cut-out of a turkey on top? But for all that time, I took the fact that the pumpkin comes out of a can as a constant in the pie-making process.

Not anymore.

This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2010.