Sweet potato with gingersnap crust? That sounds pretty wild.
Kind of an odd question, but is there anywhere to reliably get hand-whipped cream for your pies? Or you basically stuck doing it yourself?
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That sounds great!
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Tavern has a brown sugar whipped cream or whipped crème fraiche.
http://www.tavernla.com/assets/thanksgiving2016.pdf
If you have a stand mixer, it takes less than 5 minutes to make it!
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I haven’t seen hand-whipped cream sold anywhere. Perhaps you can buy some from one of your favorite restaurants? It seems like they’d accommodate your request. If you feel like making your own, here’s a great tutorial: Blog | King Arthur Baking
I wonder if they will be open on Thanksgiving? That is really the only day I would like it. I only really don’t eat out on holidays, but it would be nice to class up my family’s pie game, for selfish reasons mostly.
Appreciate the tip. I wonder what the difference between whipped creme fraiche and whipped cream is exactly? haha
Weekend Report - Thursday through Sunday, my son and I ate a lot of pumpkin pie:
A very good pumpkin pie, though we found the crust to be harder and not as good as Urth’s flakey crust.
Ugo
3865 Cardiff Ave.
Culver City, CA 90232
Tel: (310) 204-1222
(Additional locations in Santa Monica and Downtown LA)
http://cafeugo.com/
Headed here the night that Gjusta was sold out of their pie. Obviously they were going for something different with their pumpkin pie. Very creative and tasted fine, however the “Cinderella pumpkin filling with pumpkin spiced whipped cream” didn’t register as what we crave when we imagine pumpkin pie.
Superba Food & Bread
1900 Lincoln Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 907-5075
(Additional location in El Segundo)
http://www.superbafoodandbread.com/
I agree with @Chowseeker1999 This is a superlative pumpkin pie. Call ahead because they go fast (you can skip the line and head straight for checkout). One of the best we’ve tasted.
Gjusta
320 Sunset Ave.
Venice, CA 90291
Tel: (310) 314-0320
http://www.gjusta.com/
We are fans of Pie Hole and while we devoured their Moe’s Pumpkin Pie, it was middle of the pack.
Pie Hole (Arts District)
714 Traction Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 537-0115
(Additional locations: Pasadena, OC, Hollywood, Glendale)
http://www.thepieholela.com/
Had a great chat with Nicole Rucker on her last day at Smorgasburg. She said between running Cofax and writing a new cookbook she has her hands full. But you can still special order her pies via her website.
Not sure if we got an off one, but surprisingly my son and I didn’t love the pumpkin pie. Crust and consistency were fine, but there was a funny after-taste that we couldn’t place. Disappointed.
Rucker’s Pie from Smorgasburg
(orders are now avail for pickup at Cofax Coffee, Bludso’s etc.)
http://www.ruckerspie.com/
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Hi @VeniceRunner,
Nice rundown on pumpkin pies. 
glad to hear you enjoyed Gjusta’s version!
If you’re ever craving carrot cake, definitely try their version.
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Good report @VeniceRunner. Nice picture of the filling in the Gjusta pie. Too bad about Superba. It looks really interesting.
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Or an immersion blender.
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If you have a stand mixer, it takes less than 5 minutes to make it!
Or an immersion blender.
- or a whisk!
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Looks like I have a reason to dust mine off
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if you make it to SB, dangelo makes a great pumpkin tart.
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Mother Moo
Our bellies are full and our wallets empty, but mostly pumpkin pie season is over. My son and I tasted 25 pies around LA from November through last weekend.
A very memorable pie and one of our favorites, with salted whipped cream and candied pumpkin seeds.
Fishing with Dynamite
1148 Manhattan Ave,
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 893-6299
http://www.eatfwd.com/
A trek but well worth it. Took the pie to go, but hope to return to sample the rest of their menu.
Jongewaard’s Bake N Broil
3697 Atlantic Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90807
(562) 595-0396
Drove an hour for this pie and it was well worth it. An award-winning pie specialist, their menu is ever changing and pumpkin options alone could include Pumpkin Chai, Pumpkin Whopper, Caramel Pumpkin, Old Fashion Pumpkin. Recommend to reserve in advance. On our visit Pumpkin Whopper was being sold. Hope to try the Chai on a future visit.
KnowRealityPie
5106 Townsend Ave,
Los Angeles CA 90041
(916) 799-5772
Was excited about this one, but we were not fans of the mix of Pumpkin and Oreo crust. It was actually one of the only pies that we opted not to finish.
Simplethings
10874 Kinross Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 824-2000
(Multiple locations, we visited Westwood)
This one is for comic relief. It looks like my pie became mummified! I ordered slices from a full pie that already had a whipped cream cover.
Valerie
317 S Broadway,
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 621-2781
We really enjoyed the mini-pies from Atticus.
Atticus Creamery and Pies
10893 W Pico Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 474-7464
In late January as I called around the city looking for pumpkin pies, the slices and choices dwindled. Many said to try back in October. However a few said I could still special order a full pie.
For my son’s birthday and our (final?) pie we chose République. It was very good, though I was disappointed it didn’t come as described: “whimsical 9-inch pumpkin pie topped with toasted marshmallows” and pictured (#8) in TimeOut. We improvised and our older son insisted his brother’s slice be accessorized with candles matching his birthday.
République
624 S La Brea Ave,
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(310) 362-6115
Wrapping up…
The full rundown of 25: Apple Pan, Atticus Creamery and Pies, Costco, Fishing with Dynamite, Gjusta, Hof’s Hut, Jongewaard’s Bake N Broil, KnowRealityPie, Morfia’s Ribs and Pie, The Pie Hole, Rainbow Acres, Republic of Pie, République, Rucker’s Pies, Rustic Kitchen, Simplethings, Superba Food + Bread, SusieCakes, Sweet Lady Jane Bakery, Trader Joes, The Trails, Ugo, Urth Caffé, Valerie, Whole Foods
Our top 10 (in alphabetical order) were: Atticus, Fishing with Dynamite, Gjusta, Jongewaard’s, KnowRealityPie, République, SusieCakes, The Trails, Ugo, Urth Caffé.
Honorable mention for Costco for grocery store pie - for price, size and flavor.
A few that eluded us that we hope to try this November: Brite Spot, Cake Monkey, Clementine, Huckleberry, Larder at Tavern, Porto’s, Proof Bakery. We are open for more suggestions!
thank you all for your tips.
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EPIC! Glad to see my Humble Ugo pie made the top 10 and as a pie fan… I had not heard of of KnowRealityPie! I they are no on my list!
–Dommy!
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Fantastic report!!!
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I rarely feel the word “epic” is appropriate. In this case, it’s truly the best choice. Well done on this epic undertaking! (And happy belated birthday to your son!)
Now, the inquiring public (or at least one member of said public) wants to know what will be your next project?
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I think @VeniceRunner and @Chowseeker1999 need to collaborate on a FTC “bang bang”
And if they did, they might break the Internet.
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‘Nukular Boom Boom’ is more like it…
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Pumpkin Pie
I can genuinely say I never had a slice of Pumpkin Pie I didn’t like
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