Times Advocate, 1994-10-19, Page 6Times -Advocate, October 19, 1994
Perhaps nothing is more symbol-
ic of fall than rich, fat pumpkins.
Whether decorating our homes at
Halloween or in sumptuous pump-
kin pies, this multipurpose gourd
says "fall" as much as brightly -
colored leaves and crisp. mornings.
W vile a handful of people were
seeking pumpkins just after La-
bour Day, the real rush began
about two weeks ago. That's what
Mike O'Shea reported from his
family -run business in Granton.
And by Halloween, hundreds of
school children will visit O'Shea's
Farm Fresh Vegetables and Straw-
berries to learn about the fall har-
vest season - including a few facts
about pumpkins.
The pumpkin is a member of the
gourd family, according to the
Women's Day Encyclopedia of
Cookery, Vol. 17. Also members
of the family are melons, cucum-
bers and squash.
The pumpkin's orange -colored
flesh has a distinctive sweet flavor.
The word comes from the Old
French "pompion", which in turn,
is derived from the Greek "pepon"
or "cooked by the sun".
The pumpkin probably is native
to Central America. By the time
the first colonists landed in North
America, Indians were growing
pumpkins extensively. The Natives
boiled and baked the pumpkin,
used it in soups, dried it and
ground it into meal. The meal was
used in the same way as cornmeal
to make breads and puddings.
The Indians even cut pumpkin
into rings and hung them to dry for
the winter.
A 17th Century writer reports on
the New England method of cook-
ing pumpkins: "The Housewive's
manner is to slice them when ripe
and then into Dice and so fill a pot
with them of two or three gallons
and then stew them upon a gentle
fire the whole day.
"And as they sink they fill again
with fresh Pompions, not putting
any liquor to them and when it is
stirred enough it will look like
Baked Apples, this Dish putting
Butter to it and a little Vinegar
with some Spice as Ginger which
makes it tart like an Apple and so
serve it up to be eaten with fish and
flesh."
The settlers even
used dried pumpkin as
a substitute for molas-
ses. Pumpkin pie was
so • associated with
Thanksgiving that
when a 17th Century
town could not get the
molasses needed for
the pie in time for
Thanksgiving, the holi-
day was delayed, so
goes the legend.
The poet Whittier
asked nostalgically:
"What moistens the lip,
And what brightens the eye,
What calls back the past,
like rich Pumpkin pie?"
The first pumpkin pie was made
by cutting off a slice from the top
of the pumpkin, taking out the
seeds and filling the cavity with
milk and spices. Maple syrup or
some natural sweetener was added
and the whole was baked.
An old verse reports all the ways
that early settlers used pumpkins:
"For pottage and puddings and cus-
tards and pies;
Our pumpkins and puddings arc
common supplies.
We have pumpkins at morning and
pumpkins at noon;
If it were not for pumpkins, we
should be undoon."
And who could forget the jack-
o-lantem, perhaps the most iliar
symbol of Halloween. To protect
their homes from evil spirits on
Hallowe'en, or All Hallows' Eve,
Oct. 31, people began hollowing
out turnips and pumpkins (symbols
of the harvest). They placed lighted
candles inside to scare spirits from
the house.
These pumpkins became known
as Jack -o -Lanterns after the tale of
an Irish man named Jack, who had
played practical jokes on the devil
and was condemned to wander
around the world carrying a lantern
to light his way!
AVAILABILITY
Fresh pumpkin is available in
the fall and winter months. Pump-
kin also is sold canned and pureed
and frozen pumpkin pies also can
be purchased. Many people also
enjoy dried, salted pumpkin seeds.
Fresh pumpkins should be vivid
orange in color and have firm
rinds. Small pumpkins have more
tender flesh than large ones and
three pounds of fresh pumpkin
equals about three cups cooked and
mashed.
Pumpkins can be stored for one
month on a kitchen shelf and for up
to four months in a refrigerator. It
also can be frozen or canned.
Like other members of the
squash family, pumpkin is an ex-
cellent source of Vitamin A. It also
contains some B vitamins, Vitamin
C and iron. One-half cup of raw or
canned pumpkin equals 40 calo-
ries.
Story by
Margaret Stapleton
design/photos by
Cameron J. Wood
Wingham Advance Times
Fresh Sugar Pumpkin Pie
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly
packed
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
3 extra large eggs, at room tem-
perature
2 cups fresh sugar pumpkins puree
1 cup light cream blended with 1/4
cup heavy cream at room tem-
perature
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melt-
ed and cooled
One fully baked deep 9 -inch pie shell
Blend together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
and flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time,
blending well after each addition. Beat in the pumpkin puree.
Stir in the light- and heavy -cream blend, maple syrup, vanilla
and butter.
Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Bake in a pre-
heated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, reduce the oven
temperature to 325 degrees, and continue baking for 35 min-
utes longer, or until set and a knife inserted about 1 to 2 inch-
es from the centre withdraws clean.
Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve at room temperature, with
Vanilla Pouring Custard or Vanilla -Scented Whipped Cream,
if you like.
Fresh Sugar Pumpkin Puree
Quarter a 2 -pound sugar pumpkin, pare it, scoop out the
seeds, and cut it into big chunks; the flesh gets steamed until
tender (about 15 to 20 minutes), scraped away from the skin,
and pureed in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the
steel knife.
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