Jared Sasse

A Pumpkin Pie

The sound of beeping jolts me awake, and the smell of gentle cinnamon is filling the air. A nostalgic feeling washes over me as I lose all train of thought as I envision what’s for me: a thing of such subtle beauty, luscious curves and yet simple elegance. In my life, my grandparents have never been the best at showing their affection in speech but more so in gifts. And none of their gifts personified love more than a pumpkin pie. My grandmother would work all night to make it- even in her old age - just because she loved me. The taste was never disappointing: the burn of cinnamon and sweetness of sugar with the smoothness of the whipped cream. These ingredients were combined with the most crumbly pie crust ever made. If I knew what heaven was, I'd say it was a piece of my grandma’s pumpkin pie.

And I’m not alone. No one in my family would have anything to say, but that it’s simply perfection served with love. Even a resident teacher at TMI, Mrs. Toth, had a few good pieces of my grandma's pie. All the time my grandma spent on perfecting it is evident in her 80 years of living; she takes just about as much pride in her baked goods as she does her garden. 

Along with the pie, I get to remember all the times I’ve eaten this pie and look back at the joyful fun I’ve had, and there were always two constants in those moments: the most wonderful grandma in the world and the most wonderful pie in the world. There will never be anything I'd want more than to be there again with her.  Luckily for me, my birthday is only in four and a half months away, which might seem like a long time, but if I get to spend it with my grandma, it’s more than worth the wait.

In conclusion, my grandma is the sweetest and most wonderful person in my life, a constant who has always been there when I needed a break from the harsh realities of life. She always gets everything done and completed on time, especially birthday baking. So, for these reasons, I aspire to be a little more like her. And boy oh boy, she can bake a damn fine pie!