Today, let us give thanks and share some pie.
This hunger fighting diary was inspired by Fraction Jackson's post last Saturday, Irony, thy name is "hunger banquet," and those who commented on it and encouraged this post today. Special thanks to mem from somerville who offered to marry me if I needed a partner to create the gift registry described below.
****Intrigued? Read on, anyway!--Free pie recipe included*****
I am particularly thankful to be part of a creative, caring and witty community of Democratic activists and thinkers. As you are preparing for a day of gluttony, or perhaps recovering from it, please consider joining this action:
Not so long ago, our president said:
"We live in an interdependent world and we should act like it. We live in a global community and we should sustain it. We should cross borders. We should cross borders and build sustainable Democracies that can banish privation and fear. And we should cross borders to bring food and medicine and roads and schools and teachers to parts of the world forgotten by all but the warlords. ... This should be a century of hope and prosperity everywhere. And America's going to lead the world and not just bully it."
That was President Bartlet, of course, on The West Wing in 2003 (not the pretender in the White House today). The segment titled, "Guns, not Butter" highlighted the government's penchant for military action over foreign aid. Writers Aaron Sorkin, et al. reminded us that the United States was/is dead last among 21 nations in terms of giving to foreign aid for the needs of the poor. Less than 1% of the US budget goes to foreign aid. The show also featured the environment-friendly agricultural development, anti-hunger organization, Heifer International.
Also, you might recall 60 Minutes telling the story of Beatrice, a young woman in rural Africa whose life was transformed when her family got a dairy goat from Heifer International. The goat, named Mugisa (or "Luck" in Okonzo, one of several languages spoken in Beatrice's home village in Uganda), produced milk for the family to drink and sell. For the first time the family could afford to send Beatrice to school. She did well and eventually earned a full scholarship at Connecticut College, majoring in international studies. Her goal is to complete her education and return to Uganda to help her country's development.
Heifer Project International has worked since 1944 to end world hunger and protect the earth. Heifer has helped seven million families in more than 125 countries improve their quality of life and move toward greater self-reliance. Heifer helps build strong communities because each project participant agrees to pass on the gift of animal offspring, training, or skills to another family in need.
So here's the pitch: There's a "Gift Registry" at Heifer that was created just for Kossacks, and just for this weekend. Click here: Kossack Nation Shares Its Pie (We could all do this sort of thing on our own as we often do, but I rather get a kick out of doing things together with all of you.) There's a whole menagerie to choose from, and if you'd like to join in, we can undoubtedly save a few lives today.
Finally, here's the promised recipe for Aunt Em's Pumpkin Pie
1-1/2 cups pumpkin (anything from Libby's canned to fresh homemade organic will do)
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 t lemon zest (This is the secret ingredient; don't omit/skimp on the lemon zest.)
1 t cinnamon
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t powdered ginger
Mix these ingedients in a bowl and pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie shell. I usually opt for a store-bought crust, but you can do homemade if you're an epicure (in which case, use true leaf lard--accept no substitutes).
Bake for 10 minutes at 400F; then reduce to 350F and continue baking another 20-25 minutes (until a knife blade stuck in the pie comes out more-or-less clean).
Eat warm or chilled. It's a hearty, nutritious breakfast with or without vanilla ice cream.
Remember, pie is best when it's shared. Click here to visit the Heifer gift registry.