Pumpkins may be orange like Donald Trump's tan, but I think it is safe to say that they are certainly not quite as divisive as he is. On the whole, the majority of Americans appreciate the special gourds for what they are: delicious in many forms.
Many people customarily enjoy pumpkin pie around the holidays, and if you are planning on making the staple treat this year, you'll probably need to pick up a pie or two's worth of the canned stuff. It's easy, pre-pureed, and usually ends up being pretty dang tasty.
So which brand of canned pumpkin should you spend your money on?
Luckily, our pals over at Cooking Illustrated took on the task of sampling three widely available canned pumpkin products to break it down. Which variety reigns elite? And which one fails to live up to its competitors?
The three different brands varied both in hue and texture; some looked bright orange, as we are accustomed to pumpkin-products looking; others looked anemic. Some were more pulpy, while others offered taste-testers more of a baby-food-like mouthfeel (yuck).
Ultimately, between the three contenders, Libby's, One-Pie and Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin, one was crowned the obvious winner.
Folks, get yourself over to a store and pick up a can of Libby's.
According to the testers, Libby's won because it had a silky and smooth consistency (which is just what you want when digging your fork into a nice, comforting slice of beautiful pumpkin pie) and a subtle sweetness that did not overpower anybody's palate.
Apparently, Libby's uses Dickinson pumpkins, which are largely recommended because they boast both a tender flesh and a natural sweet flavor profile, which doesn't need additional additives to make it taste good.
Thankfully, you probably won't have to search too hard to find yourself a can of Libby's -- the brand makes 85 percent of the world's canned pumpkins, which means that even if you have no luck in your first grocery store, you should be able to snag yourself a can or two easily, no matter where you live.