The Betty Black Blog

Well dear friends we’re entering that Mad Season again! And in fine tradition we’ve borrowed American Thanksgiving from our friends to the north and are already going crazy (if we aren’t in Miami shopping) despite the fact that we’re in the middle of one of the worst recessions in history!

So the bottom line is I’ve decided to take advantage of the American “Black Friday” crazy shopping day and have discounted some of the designs in my online shop especially for the Readers of my Website and my Blog. I’ve created two new designs to big up our athletes and I’ve hunted down twenty-four more antique maps to reproduce for my popular Jamaican and West Indian Maps store.

All of these new items are discounted by half of my normal profit margin to say a big Thank You to everyone who has been kind enough to read my random thoughts over the past six years. These designs are accessible only through this link and the one on the Jamaica-Allspice website.

Happy Shopping!

If you’re really into American Thanksgiving here’s a Pumpkin Pie:
Pastry:
1½ cups pastry flour
½ tsp salt
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup butter
Filling:
1 lb peeled and cooked pumpkin or 1×15oz can
½ cup sugar
¼ cup maple syrup or maple-flavoured syrup
1 tsp each ground cinnamon and allspice
½ tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 375F.

Sieve together flour and salt. Cut cold butter and shortening into cubes and cut into flour using a pastry blender or knife until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp cold water over mixture and mix with a fork, add up to 2 more Tbsp water until dough can form a ball. Do not use more than 4 Tbsp water total or your pastry will be tough.

On a floured surface, flatten dough ball with your hands then roll out to a 13 circle. Lift pastry carefully into a 9 inch pie dish and ease in carefully without stretching it, trim edges that hang over sides of dish. Put to one side in a cool place; if using a metal pie plate, put in the fridge while you make the filling.

In a bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, maple syrup, spices and salt. Add eggs and beat with a fork until combined. Gradually add milk, stirring until combined.

Carefully pour filling in pastry shell. Cover edge of pie crust with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, return to oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes more or until a knife inserted near centre comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for about an hour then refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve decorate with whipped cream and chopped pecans.

Happy Thanksgiving to our American Friends!

Read more about Jamaica at Jamaica-Allspice.com