Pie question....

[Jester]

So I'm watching a sports talk show on tv, and the two guest hosts are discussing holiday pies. And the one guy says he has never had pumpkin pie, he's grown up eating sweet potato pie. And the second guy asks if there is a difference. And the first guy reacts like the second guy just asked him if there is a difference between Megan Fox and Kimbo Slice.

I grew up with pumpkin pie. Can't stand the stuff. I have never had sweet potato pie, but I like sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries. So, how much different are the two pies? And is it likely that I would I like the sweet potato pie?

[Plaidman]

I like both, but never really noticed a huge difference in taste.

[Cat]

I adore pumpkin pie, and I love sweet potatoes. Never had sweet potato pie, have had sweet potato soup, and that tastes nothing like pumpkin soup. Must be the spices in the pie that are similar

[Jester]

So either I like pumpkin pie and I don't know it, or I would hate sweet potato pie even though I like sweet potatoes, or somehow they truly are different...........

[Cat]

I so want some pumpkin and sweet potatoes now.

[NightAngel]

When we were picking out pies at the grocery store the other day I mentioned to my Mother that I'd never had Sweet Potato pie. I was thinking of getting one just to see (even though I'm not a fan of Sweet Potatos).

She shruged and said, "they taste almost the same- get whichever."

And that is my vast knowledge of the subject.

[BookstoreEscapee]

The only pumpkin pie I every liked even a little was my grandmother's, and I haven't had that since I was a kid. I'm not a sweet potato fan.

I'm so helpful, aren't I?

Gimme apple.

[MaggieTheCat]

To really compare, you'd probably have to get (or make) a sweet potato pie and a pumpkin pie that are made pretty much the same, with the same spices and other ingredients. Otherwise, if you like one but not the other, it could likely be because of the other ingredients or the way it's prepared. Pumpkins and sweet potatoes, in my experience and from what I've read in other recipes and from other cooks, are similar enough that they're pretty much interchangeable in most recipes, including pies. Another thing that might make the difference is whether you use fresh pumpkin/sweet potato and how you cook it prior to putting it in the pie. I personally like canned pumpkin just fine for any kind of baked dish, but I will admit that fresh pumpkin that's been oven-roasted has a lot more flavor. Same is true for sweet potatoes. Roasting helps bring out some of the natural sugars in the vegetable, as opposed to, say, boiling, which won't make the flesh quite as flavorful.

[Aethian]

To me they taste very different. Pumpkin more starchy and sweet potatoe pie a sweet light startchy

[strawbabies]

I've had lots of pumpkin pie, and only tried sweet potato pie once. The sweet potato pie slice was given to me by a family member. If he hasn't told me what it was, I would've sworn it was pumpkin.