Is it a cool ingredient to use in pie? Now, whipped cream, that’s a tasty ingredient. Yum.
But back to the whipped topping question. The recipe might call for a carton of it, defrosted, to be stirred into your peanut butter or key lime pie. I have to admit; it does taste good and offers a consistency that holds up. It’s also convenient and quicker than standing around whipping a carton of cream, and there are no dishes to wash unless you want to keep that plastic container for leftovers.
Read the ingredients on the label of a whipped topping container. It’s a long list, full of many things. I didn’t say food ingredients, I said “things.” In my opinion, whipped toppings are more plastic than food and I’m concerned for all of us.
And it’s not just because of the artificial ingredients. It’s because I value authenticity. I value using real food that nourishes us on some level -- beyond just the calories – because it’s: fruit in season from a local source, cream from an organic farmer (who’s keeping the soil healthy for future food along with providing healthy food in the present), chocolate from fair trade sources, lemons from a relative’s tree.
I know, I know: shortening and sugar don’t nurture us, so why care about the other ingredients? Because where we can, paying attention to the ingredients is just like paying attention to the process: put love in, get love out.
Love you,
Rebecca, Pie Pal
P.S. Yes, I did put whipped topping in one of my recipes. Once.
