People are losing it over a three-Michelin-starred restaurant’s take on the Thanksgiving classic, pumpkin pie.
Alinea restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine Simon Davies first posted a video on Instagram of the clear pumpkin pie topped with a tiny dollop of whipped cream on Sept. 24, and it has been making waves on the internet ever since.
Pumpkin pie for the fall menu. #surrealism
A post shared by Simon Davies (@simon.a.davies) on
The response to the experimental take on the dessert has ranged from amazement and praise to confusion and anger.
This is opulent.
— Nae 💎 (@Renaegade) October 24, 2017
Clear Pumpkin Pie By Simon A. Davies pic.twitter.com/lUqtIyg8Cv
ALINEA MADE A CLEAR PUMPKIN PIE MAN MY SHIT IS ROCKED pic.twitter.com/UzUxdB0HJC
— long john dickweed (@theroober) October 23, 2017
I don’t like pumpkin pie but this this looks cool https://t.co/WF5g3deGPv
— rox (@roxuly) October 27, 2017
Wow! Clear pumpkin pie. An elegant, sumptuous spin on an American fall classic. https://t.co/kA54hoDMuG
— Darrin Nordahl (@DarrinNordahl) October 22, 2017
Clear Pumpkin Pie......why do we need this? https://t.co/rWF1oJxJ0M pic.twitter.com/oqi1ltcMrF
— Uncle Bill 🌎 (@UBtalkin) October 27, 2017
“Clear pumpkin pie ..." I am #NopeNopeNope on this. Pumpkin pie has PUMPKIN in it. #PumpkinSpiceEverythinghttps://t.co/8VPhjcNb5K
— Elaine Richards (@elainerichards) October 27, 2017
I don’t....I don’t understand https://t.co/pwq2Uzo7jq
— captain BOOran👻 (@captnhoran) October 27, 2017
Chicago’s Alinea, owned by Chef Grant Achatz, is known for its creative, avant-garde food and is one of the best fine dining restaurants in the U.S.
Responding to the comments on the photo posted on Instagram, Davies explained the pie is made from pumpkin distillate, a liquid product condensed from vapour.
Distillate is made with a machine called a "Rotovap" that creates a clear liquid with the flavor of whatever food you put into it, so while the pie looks like it’s filled with Jell-O, it tastes like pumpkin.
Davies also added in the comments that the distillate melts away and the main texture is from the pie crust.
Achatz also posted a picture of several plated mini pumpkin pies earlier this week, which likely means the dessert is officially on the menu.
Clear pumpkin pie by @simon.a.davies #holidays #pumpkinpie
A post shared by Grant Achatz (@grant_achatz) on
