When you talk about Thanksgiving, you talk about eating. And when you talk about eating, you talk about turkey.

Thanksgiving eating always starts with the turkey.

But wouldn't you really rather start eating the pie?

Be honest.

No one ever yells out: "Save room for turkey!"

Sure, we’ll eat turkey. And the stuffing.

No one ever turns down turkey and stuffing.

There are thousands of recipes for stuffing — homemade or packaged — and an endless debate about cooking it in or out of the bird. But come dinner time, there's no option.

The stuffing you'll spoon on your plate this year was made the same way as the stuffing you spooned last year. And the year before that. Good stuffing. Same stuffing. Right?

You'll take a roll because it's offered and take veggies because you'll feel guilty if you don't.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Don't forget the cranberry sauce.

Big bird with all the trimmings.

A good meal. But an optionless meal.

Not the case with dessert.

There are plenty of options when it comes to pie.

You save room for the pie.

You always save room for the pie. Whatever the pie.

There might be but one bird, one kind of stuffing and one big pile of mashed potatoes on the table but, I'll bet you the last piece of dark meat that you'll have your choice of pies.

Pumpkin, mincemeat or fruit.

Did you say fruit? What kind of fruit? Apple, cherry, blueberry?

Warm, room temperature or cold out of the fridge?

With whipped cream or ice cream?

On top or on the side?

Perhaps you're the exotic type who combines pecan and pumpkin with both creams on top. How naughty.

You might be wondering, "What's the most popular Thanksgiving pie?" It would be easier to figure out who will win the Super Bowl. 

Apple pie has long been a staple of American culture. However, a recent survey by Hers on Americans’ favorite pie for Thanksgiving found that 77% of respondents call a variety other than apple pie as their go-to. So, are people still “as American as apple pie?”

As for the overall pie winner, pumpkin takes the cake (err, pie), beating apple pie as America’s favorite by a narrow margin (24% versus 23%). Sweet potato pie, chocolate cream pie, pecan pie, and key lime pie rounded out the list of top pies. 

As someone who grew up thinking Devil Dogs were dessert — and didn't have a homemade pie until I was married — I sought out a voice of authority to gauge the pie pulse of America.

"It's the pies, not the turkey, that always gets the ohhs and ahhs," said Todd Knaster, Associate Professor in Baking and Pastry Arts at the Culinary Institute of America. "People rush through dinner, but they relax and take their time with dessert."

Knaster noted that you'll always have the apple and pumpkin staples. Other pies just lose their appeal.

"Coconut custard is a thing of the past. You never see anyone making that anymore. Pumpkin is kind of limited. People eat it two weeks of the year and then they don't want it anymore. Just for Thanksgiving."

Knaster has his own favorite.

"I like to make a pumpkin-pecan pie mixture. Or sweet potato. One on top of the other. Filling is important, but really, it's all about the crust. Nothing ruins a pie more than soggy crust. Pecan or pumpkin ... if the crust isn't flaky it doesn't matter what filling you put in it. You want to watch your crust."

Here's another tip from our CIA chef. If you don't have the time, buy the crust. Store-bought flaky is better than homemade soggy.

Still think today’s all about the bird, huh? Consider the leftovers.

Your hosts will push you to take home some turkey, stuffing and potatoes. Plenty to spare. Nice gesture.

Ask them for pie.

A little pumpkin. Just a slice.

No one gives up pie.