I would never have been a good example of someone to be held in
a pumpkin shell and who was Peter Peter anyway? Was the pumpkin a
whole one or cut out as a Jack-o-Lantern? If the wife was being
held captive in that pumpkin, can you see someone standing on the
lawn in modern television script directing her to
”
climb-out-the-left-eye.
”
I would never have been a good example of someone to be held in a pumpkin shell and who was Peter Peter anyway? Was the pumpkin a whole one or cut out as a Jack-o-Lantern? If the wife was being held captive in that pumpkin, can you see someone standing on the lawn in modern television script directing her to “climb-out-the-left-eye.”
Peter was a pumpkin eater so he would have been in great shape as pumpkins are extremely nutritious, with lots of fiber and a goodly source of Vitamin A in particular, especially the carotenoid phytoene. Vitamin C is also present. It is a member of the gourd family, which includes watermelon and hard skinned squash and is very important at this time of the year both as a food product as well as a decorative accent.
In questioning several people about what they like best about pumpkins, several said the seeds. But most people immediately said pumpkin pie. And then the second part of my question if they answered pumpkin pie was to see if they would eat it in April. Most said that they would. And the last question asked was, “Have you ever been served a slice of pumpkin pie in April?” Most laughed and said no to that one. We seem to agree that pumpkin pie is reserved for Halloween and Thanksgiving, when it is fresh and in season.
The golden orange color, the spicy addition of cinnamon and nutmeg along with the velvety texture of pumpkin pulp is definitely an ingredient for comforting food.
Instead of thinking of pumpkin as a dessert, serve some as a vegetable dish. Stir fry chunks of cut up raw pumpkin with some garlic and olive oil, adding onions, carrots and some soy sauce. Or just bake some of the smaller pumpkins like you would bake a potato and serve with butter. Some favor some drizzles of maple syrup. As a kid we got to eat pureed pumpkin baked in a casserole with colored marshmallows on the top. The marshmallows melted and got toasty brown on the top.
So get to a pumpkin patch this week to select a variety of sizes and shapes to last you through Thanksgiving. Stack them, play with them, carve them into faces, and just plain enjoy being a pumpkin eater.
PUMPKIN BREAD
(in memory of Nancy Johnson of Hollister as presented for one of our cooking classes several years ago)
4 cups cooked pumpkin
1 cup salad oil
4 cups white sugar
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix pumpkin, oil, sugar and then add dry ingredients. Add chopped nuts and chips. Put in greased and floured pans and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Watch the last 20 minutes and cover with foil if it’s getting too brown. Makes 3 loaves, 8×5 inches.
PUMPKIN CUSTARDS
(serves 4)
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup light cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon real vanilla
extract
2/3 cup canned or fresh
cooked pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In small skillet, heat 1/3 cup sugar over medium heat, stirring, until it has melted and turns caramel colored. Quickly pour into 4 custard cups. Set aside. In batter bowl, whisk eggs well, adding remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared custard cups. Set cups into a shallow baking pan and fill pan with hot water, up to the halfway mark on the custard cups. Bake about 1 hour. Cool. Invert onto individual serving plates. Serve as it, or drizzle with a little rum or brandy, if desired.
PUMPKIN SOUP
4 tablespoons butter or
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cubed fresh
pumpkin, 2 inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili
powder blend
1/2 teaspoon good
quality dry mustard
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or
less if broth is very salty
2 cups turkey, chicken or
vegetable broth
1 tablespoon maple syrup
or maple sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream or
half and half, optional
Combine butter, onion, pumpkin and garlic in batter bowl. Cover. Microwave on high 5 minutes. Stir. Microwave another 3-4 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Cover and let stand 5-8 minutes. Then puree in a food processor with the steel chopping blade in place. Whirl to puree, adding a little water if necessary. Put it back into the bowl, add the chile powder, mustard, flour, salt and broth. Whisk well. Microwave on high 3 minutes. Whisk. Microwave another 5-7 minutes on high, then on half power for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Taste and correct the seasonings, adding the syrup or sugar. If using, whisk in the cream. Enjoy!
