Flavors of the Sun: San Miguel de Allende

No Bake Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Note: Several of you have either emailed or commented directly on the post that the West African Peanut Soup, though you trusted my judgment, sounded strange. Maybe it does, but do trust me when I say that if you like peanuts, greens, and sweet potatoes, this soup just may become a new favorite for you. I can't say enough good things about it!

Pumpkin Pie with a Modern Twist

by Victoria Challancin

If the truth be known, in spite of the expat life I have lived, the foreign influences, the extensive travel, the love of the exotic, I am secretly rather a traditionalist. No one would suspect it, because of the way I have lived my life, but truly I am. At least when it comes to family, holidays, and comfort food. On Thanksgiving and Christmas particularly, I want the food of my family, the food of my youth. No matter how much chestnut- and foi gras- stuffed pheasant might appeal at any other time, what I want to sit down with on those days is the food from my mother's kitchen. My Mom's cornbread dressing. My aunt's pumpkin pie. My sister-in-law's squash casserole. My brother's heavenly yeast rolls. Home-cooked comfort food.

And even here in Mexico where we always share Thanksgiving my dearest friend and her mixed American-Mexican family, no matter how creatively Mexican and delicious the turkey is, I am never asked to bring something equally exotic to accompany it, rather two dishes are always requested of me: green bean casserole (a modern updated version) and sweet potato "soufflé." Southern food. Nothing exotic there, of course, except that our Mexican friends always think the sweet potato dish is a dessert.

For my cooking class last week, however, I decided to offer the Mexican a simple dessert, full of fall flavors, appropriate for holidays, and a breeze to pull together: No Bake Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie. Using a cookie crust pulled together in a food processor made the base so easy, especially when no baking or cooling was required. The mousse and spiced whipped cream topping also came together quickly. A bit of shaved chocolate (yes, I wish I had used curls of dark chocolate...) and some time in the refrigerator--and voilà, you have a holiday dessert with interesting flavors that tastes delicious and looks pretty as well.

The pumpkin mousse base

The spiced cocoa whipped cream topping

Laura, shaving chocolate over the finished pie

Cook's Notes: I only had access to Oreo cookies, but would have used chocolate wafers had they been available. Also, in retrospect, although we did used bittersweet chocolate to shave over the pie, I would have preferred long curls of dark chocolate for contrast. We also didn't have time for proper chilling, which often happens in class. Other than that, this pie was perfect--and not too sweet.

Recipe: No Bake Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie

(Recipe from Seriouseats.com)

For the chocolate crust:

6 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (about 27 wafers)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Pumpkin Mousse:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

For the Spiced Cocoa Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

pinch ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

pinch ground cloves

For the Garnish:

3 ounce bar bittersweet chocolate

In food processor, process chocolate wafers and sugar until finely ground, Add melted butter and pulse to moisten. Transfer mixture to pie plate and firmly press into botom and up sides. Set in fridge to chill while you make the pumpkin mousse.

In large bowl, stir cream cheese, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until completely incorporated. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla until smooth and incorporated. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream on medium-high speed until cream holds soft peaks that slowly dip down when whisk is pulled out of cream. Using rubber spatula, gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Pour mousse into pie shell and chill in fridge while you prepare the cocoa whipped cream.

Into unwashed mixer bowl, add all ingredients for the spiced chocolate whipped cream and chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Place bowl in standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment and whip on medium-high speed to almost stiff peaks. Spread over top of pumpkin mousse. Chill pie until set, about 3 hours.

Place chocolate bar on work surface. Using paring knife, scrape chocolate shavings from bar and use to garnish top of pie.

The finished pie--a modern pumpkin pie perfect for the holidays

Parting Shot:

San Miguel de Allende

Like life, recipes are meant to be shared, but please ask permission before using photos or text. Thanks!

Day of the Dead: Setting Up the Altar

by Victoria Challancin

I am surrounded by Death, and it is smiling.

I am surrounded by Death, and it is smiling. That's what came to me today as I strolled through the Día de los Muertos market that appears near the end of October every year in San Miguel. It is the "go-to" place for all your altar needs, and it is bursting with life overlaid with a tinge of Death. But not sadness. No, not sadness.

Everything You Need for the Altar

Every home in Mexico, almost without exception, sets up an altar to honor those who have passed. Some are simple--a photo, a flower, a saint or a cross; some are incredibly complex. Here are just a few photos I took at this year's market, where you can buy altar decorations.

For past posts on Day of the Dead, click here for some history, a brief post on The Poetry of Death, and photos of altars from the humble to the extravagant and here for more market photos of alfeñiques, or the sugar skulls and sugar figures from last year's market.

Candles and papel chino or papel picado

"The Mexican is familiar with death, jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, and celebrates it. It is one of his favorite playthings and his most steadfast love." Octavio Paz, Mexican poet

Skulls and Figures