I know. My sister had the same complaint: "It's Thanksgiving, Katie. No pie?? Are you completely crazy? It's not Thanksgiving without pie... It just isn't." Apparently she was not thrilled when I presented her with my menu mock-up for the big family dinner. I thought pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie... so passe. How about something new and fresh? How about a candy bar! I thought I'd make little bite-size confections... chocolate truffles, peanut brittle, caramel apples, lollipops, pate de fruit. It would all be so colorful and fun (and gluten-free for my parents' new diet)! Especially when we have (the most adorable in this world) 5-year-old twin nephews coming to visit for Thanksgiving. Kids don't like pie. They like candy, right? And I happen to know that many adults can be convinced into some good ol' fashioned sugar bingeing from time-to-time. But if you've met my sister, you know her powers. After reading aloud (quite loud) every pie recipe listed on Epicurious.com, I raised my white flag of surrender. In the end, there were pies, and pumpkin pecan cheesecakes at our Thanksgiving table. Apparently, without their presence the holiday would have had to be called "The day formerly known as Thanksgiving." Luckily, I was able to slip one item from my candy bar menu onto the table: 70% dark Valrhona chocolate truffles enrobed in a Callebaut milk chocolate coating and tossed in coconut.
