All About: Pumpkins

Handling Pumpkins Tips Substitution Nutrition

American Indians were growing and eating pumpkins long before the Colonists arrived. Pumpkins were so plentiful and easy to grow that they became a main source of food and beverage. American Indians roasted pumpkin, boiled and mashed it, made soups and pies, and even dried and salted the seeds. Pumpkins became such an important part of their diets that a rhyme about them became popular in the 17th century: "We have pumpkin in the morning and pumpkin at noon. If it were not for pumpkin, we should be undoon."

Pumpkins have remained an important part of American life today; they start to appear at our front doors in October and stay there until just after Thanksgiving.

Pumpkins are really fruits (melons, actually) and are one of the largest members of the gourd family—they can weigh in at more than 1,000 pounds. There is an organization, The World Pumpkin Confederation, with about 4,000 members in more than 30 countries dedicated to growing these giants.

You do not want to make pies out of large pumpkins; three pounds is just about perfect for two pies. The flesh of these smaller pumpkins will be sweeter and more tender. For cooking, buy pumpkins such as Sugar pumpkins. Choose pumpkins that are heavy for their size and have no dents, cuts, or blemishes on their rinds.

Handling Pumpkins

Whole pumpkins can be stored at room temperature for about 1 month, or you can refrigerate them for about 3 months.

To make pumpkin puree: Wash the pumpkin and break off the stem. Place in a baking dish and bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for about 2 hours or until soft. Peel or cut off the rind, cut the pumpkin in half, and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Cut into small pieces and puree in a food processor or blender. Put the puree through a fine sieve to remove any strings.

To Grill: Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds. Peel and cut into pieces about 1/4 inch thick. Brush with Crisco Canola Oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill until tender.

Pumpkin Seeds: Wash the pulp and strings off the seeds. Place the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and let dry. In a large bowl, toss the seeds with a little Crisco Canola Oil and return them to the baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven, stirring about every 5 minutes, for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt to taste and allow to cool before serving.

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Tips

• Pumpkin puree freezes very well; make enough for several uses.
• Use an electric mixer to beat cooked pumpkin puree; the strings will wrap themselves around the beaters and can be washed off easily.
• Pumpkin pie is a custard and needs to be stored in the refrigerator.

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Substitution

If fresh pumpkin is not available or you do not want to do the work, canned or frozen is fine. You can also substitute any winter squash, such as Hubbard or acorn, in pumpkin recipes.

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Nutrition

One half cup of cooked pumpkin contains about 25 calories and more than 3 times the recommended daily requirement of vitamin A.

Pumpkins also contain vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They are 90 percent water and contain no fat or cholesterol.

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Fruits

ApplesApricotsBananasBlueberriesCherriesCranberriesGrapesMangoesPapayaPeachesPearsPersimmonsPineapplesPomegranatesPumpkinsStrawberriesTomatoesWatermelon