The Great Pumpkin
Did you know that this sometimes-ginormous gourd is actually a
fruit, not a vegetable? It's true–the pumpkin is a member of the Cucurbitacae family that also includes squash, cucumbers and melons. The largest one
ever grown is credited to Larry Checkon of North Cambria,
Pennsylvania. His "great pumpkin" tipped the scales at 1,469
pounds during the 2005 Pennsylvania Giant Pumpkin Growers Weighoff.
But beware my Halloween cooks, it's important to know that while giant
pumpkins make
fantastic jack-o'-lanterns, their stringy, tasteless insides don't make
for great eating. So when buying pumpkins at the market, choose
those specially grown for cooking and baking. Varieties named
"sugar" or "pie" will do the trick.
For more
information about buying,
storing and preparing pumpkin, click here to see our article in the
BigOven Food Dictionary. But if you're ready to dig into this
fall harvest treat, we invite you to try a few of our favorite recipes:
Pumpkin Coconut Soup
Cous Cous Salad with Pumpkin, Chorizo and Walnuts
Penne with Pumpkin Sauce
Pumpkin Chili
Chicken Baked with Pumpkin and Peanuts
Herb and Pumpkin Seed Coated Chicken Drumsticks with Chunky Mango Sauce
Lynn's Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Libby's Great Pumpkin Cookie
Pumpkin Crunch
Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie
Harvest Moon Pumpkin Pie