Chef Simon Davies Gives His Own Unconventional Twist To The Pumpkin Pie And Makes It Clear

A yummy pumpkin pie is definitely the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving feast. But chef Simon Davies gave a contemporary twist to the traditional Thanksgiving dessert and created the first-of-its-kind clear pumpkin pie. With the same golden crust and a dab of vanilla whipped cream topping, the clear pumpkin pie features a transparent filling instead of the orange-colored pumpkin custard filling. The clear filling allows you to see through from one side of the pie to the other. So, how did the chef create such magic?

 

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Davies, who is now the executive chef of Alinea, Chicago’s only three-star Michelin restaurant, has been incorporating molecular gastronomy cooking in one of America’s most experimental and most acclaimed kitchens. In this modern era where artistic and social elements are on par with technical aspect, modern culinary has been embracing the concept of food science to generate new knowledge on the transformation of physical and chemical components of ingredients.

One of the most innovative products of molecular gastronomy is the rotary evaporator machine (or rotovap). This device is used to distill an ingredient (pumpkin in this case). The distillation process allows the concentration of the purest and freshest flavors from the ingredient by removing the water.

 

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The same device was used in the making of the clear pumpkin pie. Despite its unusual crystal clear appearance, the flavor of the pumpkin is still there. Since the distilled filling is more concentrated than the usual pumpkin puree, it actually has a more savory pumpkin flavor. Hence, the clear pumpkin pie doesn’t only look amazingly different but it also gives you a more ‘pumpkinish’ taste. Indeed, the clear pumpkin pie with a jelly-like translucent filling is a sight to behold that looks as appetizing as it tastes.

Take a look at these mesmerizing photos of Alinea’s clear pumpkin pie

 

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