Let me set the record straight, I don’t cook. Any piece you see under this category, “The Boozy Chef”, is due to my wife’s efforts to marry the flavors I introduce her to by way of the bar into the kitchen. And, since she makes money doing this sort of thing, the results are almost universally positive. And, in the spirit of the holidays and given that pumpkin pie is my OMGITSMYFAVORITESTTHINGEVER dessert, this one, I wanted to share – especially with Craig Hermann’s “MxMo: Spice” theme. After all, we’ll be looking at how to add spice and zing to cooking by way of what’s behind the bar.

The basis of this dessert is, of course, a simple pumpkin pie; cinnamon, nutmeg, and the usual blend of spices blended with pumpkin puree and baked in a wonderful crust to create a heavenly aroma and warm memories. But, when I first served Joana a Corn n’ Oil (pictured on left) after making my first batch of Falernum last year, she instantly recognized the potential of the blackstrap as a molasses/rum combination and the Falernum as a way of adding to the spicy twang of a traditional pumpkin pie. Me? I handed her the bottles and enjoyed the bounty of her efforts. I hope you will as well:

Blackstrap Pumpkin Pie

  • 3 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 15oz pumpkin puree
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 2 1/2T Blackstrap Rum
  • 1T Pimento dram or Falernum
  • 2t cinnamon (Vietnamese cassia used)
  • 1t ground ginger
  • 1t ground clove
  • 1/4t fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 cup cream

Mix eggs and sugar and once blended add pumpkin puree and continue mixing until well-blended. Add cream and spices and continue mixing.
Once blended, add rum and falernum or allspice and whisk and then pour into a pie shell.

Bake at 350° for 50 mins. or until center is just barely set.

I’ve had both versions, the allspice dram and the Falernum, on numerous occasions and both ingredients lend their own natures on top of the Blackstrap’s rich molasses profile. The Falernum creates a welcome tart and deep clove character to the back of the pie’s taste and the pimento/allspice dram lends a much more focused spicy edge to the dessert. Both have their merits and, as you’d expect, I’d recommend trying both side-by-side. Rick recently posed the question, “I wonder how many mornings in-a-row I could eat pumpkin pie before tiring of it?” I would say with these at your disposal that number would be lofty indeed. As for the drink that inspired Joana to develop such a wonderful variation on an old stand-by dessert the guilty party is, of course, the Corn ‘n Oil (pictured on left of photo above):

Corn ‘n Oil

  • 3oz Blackstrap rum
  • Squeeze of half a lime
  • 1oz Falernum (or whatever your preferred ratio is)

Build in an old-fashioned glass in the order given, stir well, and drop the spent lime hull for garnish. Serve.

I was introduced to this drink by way of Paul after I’d found a bottle of Blackstrap rum, got it home, and then wondered what in the hell to do with it as it’s referred to extremely rarely in the books i own. The Corn ‘n Oil features the sweet rich depth of Blackstrap well and lets the lime and Falernum bring a bright twang to the drink that, if kept well-stirred, will have you asking for seconds.

How much Falernum you use relative to the Blackstrap will depend heavily on the character of your Falernum. My falernum33 , which is a blend of Morgenthaler’s and Paul’s techniques, is very heavy, spicy, and rich and so a little goes a long way. I keep it at a 3:1 ratio though I’ve heard rumor of those pushing the envelope at 2:1 and even 1:1 (egads!). That’s just too much Falernum in my boat.

I will say this about the Corn ‘n Oil, it goes great with pumpkin pie.3

  1. I’ve tried about 6 different variations and *still* find that this one is the best I’ve had333

3

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