Unconventional Chef Reinvents Dessert by Baking a Clear Pumpkin Pie

Everything you think you know about pumpkin pie has changed thanks to chef Simon Davies of Chicago’s Alinea restaurant. He has transformed the classic Thanksgiving dish into something that seems familiar, but is unlike anything we've seen before. It has the same golden crust and dab of whipped topping, with one big difference—the filling is clear. Yes, you can see through the normally-orange puree, from one side of the pie piece to the other.

So, how did Davies’ create this unusual food? It’s thanks to science; he used a rotary evaporator machine that’s popular in molecular gastronomy cooking. The device creates a liquid distillate of a chosen flavor—in this case, pumpkin. It (supposedly) tastes like the real thing, too.

Molecular gastronomy-style dishes—such this pie—are known for exploring and reinterpreting existing foods and recipes in unexpected ways. Davie’s twist on tradition certainly does that; all that’s left to do is grab a fork and take a bite.

Chef Simon Davies of Chicago's Alinea restraunt has created a clear food that you'd never expect.

A post shared by Simon Davies (@simon.a.davies) on

He has taken pumpkin pie—a classic Thanksgiving dessert—and made it see through!

A post shared by Simon Davies (@simon.a.davies) on

Simon Davies: Instagram
h/t: [Mashable, BuzzFeed]

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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