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By Shenanchie for Food Fare

Autumn is my favorite time of year. I have no qualms about stating I hate the summer months (I truly do), and look forward to the first flush of autumn leaves. With autumn comes Halloween and all of its associated traditions. However, this is not an article about Halloween but rather the brilliant fruit known as the pumpkin.

Pumpkins are used widely as a Halloween decoration, but there are many other uses for the plump little Jack O'Lantern. Just about every part of the pumpkin is edible (apart from the stem), including the hollow shell which can be used as a serving dish. Recipes associated with pumpkins are also wide and varied: one can make pies, cakes, breads, tarts, Crème Brule, pudding, cookies, soup, butter, dips, pancakes, cheesecake, ice cream, risotto and sauces. Pumpkins can even be baked like squash as a side dish. The pumpkin seeds (to be found inside amongst the spaghetti-like innards) can also be salted, roasted and served as a snack.

While I don't claim to be an expert on pumpkin-lore, my brief article will attempt to shed some light on the edible pumpkin, along with bits of history, planting and growing, varieties, methods of cooking, health benefits, trivia, links and pumpkin-based recipes.

CONTENTS:

History:

References to the pumpkin date back many centuries. They are believed to have originated in Central America, where seeds from related plants were found dating as far back as 5500 B.C. The actual name pumpkin originated from the Greek word pepon, which translated into a "large melon." The word pepon was elaborated by the French (pompon) and the English (pumpion). American colonists changed it to pumpkin, and thus it has remained.

Native Americans used to dry strips of pumpkin to make floor mats. They also dried pumpkin for food. Indians called the pumpkin isqoutm squash. American settlers soon adopted the orange globes, using them in a wide variety of dishes from desserts to stews and soups. The colonists made pumpkin pies by filling a hollowed-out shell with milk, honey and spices, and then baking it. The leaves from the pumpkin plants were also used in salads, with the flowers sometimes baked or fried. According to legend, pumpkins were part of the first Thanksgiving feast in 1620.

The pumpkin also achieved mythical status with the legend of the Jack O'Lantern. The particular tale revolves around Halloween, but came from the Irish fable about a man nicknamed Stingy Jack. As the myth retells, Jack invited the Devil himself to have a drink with him. In keeping with his nickname, Jack did not want to pay for his drink so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin so that Jack could buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and placed the coin in his pocket next to a silver cross. The silver cross prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack ultimately freed the Devil under the conditions that he not trouble Jack for a year and should he die, not claim his soul. When Jack eventually died, God would not allow him into heaven because of his unsavory nature, and the Devil would not allow him into hell. The Devil sent Jack into the dark of the night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack placed the coal into a hollow turnip, and has reportedly been roaming the earth with it ever since.

The Irish once referred to the ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern" before shortening it to Jack O'Lantern.

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Planting & Growing:

Pumpkins are tender, warm-season fruits. Pumpkin seeds do not germinate well in cold soil. Quite often seedlings are wounded by frost. Seeds should be planted only when all danger of a frost has passed, and the soil has had a chance to warm. Planting pumpkins for Halloween should occur from late May in the north, and early July in southern American locations. Note: If pumpkins are planted too early, they could soften and rot before Halloween rolls around.

Pumpkins that vine require fifty to one hundred feet per hill. Plant seeds one inch deep, with four or five seeds per hill. Make sure there is five to six feet between hills, spaced in rows of ten to fifteen feet apart. When plants are established, thin each hill to the best of two or three plants. Semi-bush pumpkin varieties need to be planted one-inch deep, with four or five seeds per hill. Thin to the best two plants per hill, allowing four feet between hills and eight feet between rows. Miniature varieties of pumpkins should be planted one inch deep, with two or three seeds every two feet in a row. Plant bush varieties one inch deep (one or two seeds per foot of the row). Thin to one plant every three feet, allowing four to six feet between rows.

Pumpkin plants should be kept clear of weeds on a regular basis, either by hoeing or shallow cultivation. Pumpkins will need to be irrigated if a dry period in the season occurs, although they tolerate hot weather rather well. If insecticides are used, they should be administered only in the late afternoon or early evening when the pumpkin plant blossoms are closed for the day. Bees pollinate the flowers as well, so it is safer to apply insecticides after the flowers close so the bees are not killed. As new blossoms appear every day and bees land inside the open flowers, they will be safe from contact with any deadly sprays.

Pumpkins should be harvested when they have attained a deep, solid color (orange for the majority of varieties), and when the rind feels hard. Harvesting usually occurs in late September or early October before heavy frosts begin. If the pumpkin vines die early from disease, harvest the mature globes and store them in a temperate, dry place until ready to use. When cutting pumpkins from the vines, wear gloves to avoid pricks from the stems. Use pruning shears or a sharp knife, leaving four inches of the stem attached.

Snapping the vines can result in broken stems (or "handles"). Pumpkins without stems do not keep well. Try to avoid bruising or cutting the pumpkins while handling them.

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Pumpkin Varieties:

There are many varieties and sizes of pumpkins. The tables below give a brief summary of the variations:

Small Orange Small (2 to 8 pounds)

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Methods of Cooking:

Besides being decorative during All Hallows Eve, pumpkins can be cooked in a variety of different ways. Some of the more common methods of cooking pumpkin are:

Boiling or Steaming

The pumpkin needs to be cut into rather large pieces, and then rinsed in cold water. Place the pieces in a large pot with a cup of water (it is not necessary for the water to cover the pumpkin). Cover the pot and boil until tender, about twenty or thirty minutes. If steaming the pumpkin, steam-time averages twelve to fifteen minutes. You can check for doneness by inserting a knife or fork into the flesh. If either slides in easily, the pumpkin is cooked. Boiled or steamed pumpkin can be eaten as is, or seasoned with salt, pepper or butter (similar to squash).

 

Baking

Baking pumpkin is again similar to the preparation of squash. Cut the pumpkin in half, clearing away the seeds and spaghetti-strings. Rinse thoroughly under cold water. Place the pumpkin (cut side down) on a large baking sheet. Bake at 350-degrees F for about one hour, or until the flesh is fork tender.

 

Microwave

Halve the pumpkin, and place cut-side down on a microwave-safe plate. Cook on high for about fifteen minutes, checking for doneness. Cook longer if necessary.

 

Puree

Cook the pumpkin by any of the methods listed above, waiting until the flesh has cooled. Remove the rind using a sharp knife, separating carefully with your fingers. Place the peeled pumpkin in a food processor and puree until smooth. Side Note: Pureed pumpkin freezes rather well, especially in one cup portions. Frozen pumpkin will keep for up to one year. Additionally, pumpkin puree can be used to make pies, soups, cookies and breads.

 

Roasted

Pumpkin seeds can be salted and roasted, and then eaten as a snack.

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Health Benefits:

Pumpkins are low in fat. They do not include added salt, sugar or flour. Pumpkins are also low in calories and full of vitamins. One cup of boiled and drained pumpkin without additives contains:

• Calories: 50

• Carbohydrates: 12 grams

• Cholesterol: 0

• Dietary Fiber: 3 grams

• Calcium: 37 mg

• Magnesium: 22 mg

• Fat: Less than one gram

• Potassium: 564 mg

• Protein: 2.5 grams

• Vitamin A: 310% of RDA

• Vitamin C: 20% of RDA

The bright orange color of pumpkin is indicative of a large amount of beta-carotene, which is one of the plant cartenoids that converts to Vitamin A in the human body. Current research claims that a diet containing foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing various types of cancer, protects against heart disease, and some of the degenerative facets of aging.

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Recipes:

• Baked Pumpkin (Native American)

• Nutty Pumpkin Cookies

• Pumpkin Bread

• Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Pumpkin Cookies

• Pumpkin Cornbread

• Pumpkin Dip

• Pumpkin Empanadas

• Pumpkin French Toast

• Pumpkin Hot Cocoa Mix

• Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

• Pumpkin Pancakes

• Pumpkin Pecan Pie

• Pumpkin Pie Pudding

• Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• Pumpkin Ravioli

• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• Schurbat Adas Ma Qar (Iraqi Lentil & Pumpkin Soup)

• Smudge Muffins

• Voatavo sy Voanjo (Malagasy Pumpkin Stew with Peanuts)

• Wormy Pumpkin Mousse (Halloween)

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Trivia:

• Pumpkin flowers are edible.

• The largest pumpkin pie ever baked was more than five feet in diameter and weighed over 300 pounds. The pie used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and required six hours to bake.

• Pumpkins are 90% water.

• In 1584, French explorer Cartier landed in North America and found what he called "gros melons." It was translated into "pompions," which eventually became "pumpkin."

• Pumpkins in colonial times were often used as an ingredient for the crust of the pies, not the filling.

• The largest recorded pumpkin grown to date weighed 2,009 pounds, displayed by Ron Wallace at the Topsfield Fair in Rhode Island in 2012.

• Pumpkins are low in fat and calories, and are good sources of Vitamins A and B, as well potassium, protein and iron.

• About 80% of the pumpkin supply in the United States becomes available in October.

• Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.

• Pumpkins were once used as a remedy for snake bites.

• Pumpkins are fruits!

• Pumpkins, gourds and other varieties of squash are all members of the vine crops Cucurbitacae family, which also includes cucumbers, gherkins and melons.

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Pumpkin Links:

To learn more about pumpkins, try one of the following links:

The Pumpkin Nook

The Pumpkin Master

Pumpkin Patch

Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers

Halloween Cuisine:

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