It has come to a point now where we can have pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING. From our coffee, to our waffles, to our curry, there are so many ways to enjoy the warm mixture of spices and pumpkin puree.
Did you know that the pumpkin plant is one of the most durable plants? The only continent in the entire world that cannot support the growth of pumpkins is Antarctica, and believe me, nothing grows down there. It is quite the remarkable entity.
In fact, the pumpkin is one of the most versatile items for use in the kitchen. Almost the entire gourd is edible. The seeds, the shell, the leaves, and even the flours can be prepared in some fashion or another, in addition to the ever-popular fleshy center. I, myself, am a huge fan of roasted and salted pumpkin seeds.
From “Cinderella” to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” it is steeped in folklore and fiction. It is evident that the pumpkin holds a very special place in our hearts as well as in our bellies. In any given town across America there are a number of fall festivals in which the pumpkin plays a huge roll. Some gatherings are actually entirely devoted to the great orange globe. For those interested, the second Saturday of October has been designated as International Pumpkin Day, and is celebrated in several countries around the world.
Around this time of the year, we not only like to bake or cook with pumpkin, but also we like to participate in a little ritual involving the carving of the gourd into a Jack o’lantern. In Irish and Scottish tradition, pumpkins have been carved to represent the faces of goblins on the holiday which we now call Halloween. They were originally used to light the path of “guisers,” or children in disguise, as they travel from house to house looking for treats, and maybe a few tricks.
Nowadays, grocery and craft stores have helped us take a lot of the guesswork out of carving these bulbous hunks of vegetable with prepackaged kits and fancy power tools to help get the job done. The surface of a pumpkin also lends itself well to painting. A well-known consequence of carving a pumpkin is that it shortens the shelf life of your creation immensely. Keeping the pumpkin intact, whilst painting a design on the outside is great for longevity.
Most of us eat pumpkin pies made with filling that comes in a can, but have you ever wanted to try your hand at making it from scratch? It’s a little involved, but it’s definitely worth the effort. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably pictured the stringy, seedy pulp innards as the material you’d be working with, and it turns you off. No one was more pleased than I to learn that it is actually the inside of the rind, which is used. That other stuff can just get thrown away. Here’s a great recipe for homemade mashed pumpkin puree, for those that are interested…
TO PREPARE THE PUMPKIN PUREE:
- Use 1 1/2 pounds of skin-on, raw pumpkin to yield 2 cups of puree.
- Halve pumpkin and scoop out seeds and stringy portions.
- Cut pumpkin into chunks.
- In saucepan over medium heat, in 1 inch of boiling water heat the pumpkin to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender.
- Drain, cool and remove the peel.
- Return pumpkin to the saucepan and mash with a potato masher.
Once this is all completed, you can use it in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe. Your traditional family recipe doesn’t have to be altered to enjoy a fresher taste. Simply bake your crust and filling as normal and enjoy the results!
