Hello!
How depressing – still another page torn from our calendars.

And now that Halloween has passed, and all of those leftover Jack o’Lanterns are now wearing slightly wrinkled grins, many of us still have a lot of those uncarved pumpkins still decorating our lawns, front steps, porches, and patios.

Funny – both pumpkins and winter squash can be substituted for each other in many of those pumpkins and winter squash recipes out there. But it is that versatile, ever-popular pumpkin that sits atop the Jack o’Lantern throne, and magically and majestically adorns our porches as a sign of Autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

After all, no one ever carves a hefty 50 pound Hubbard squash into a Jack o’Lantern – right? No one ever adorns their porch steps with a stunning collection of butter nut or butter cup squash – right?

At any rate, after we tire of seeing those infamous orange globes gathered around, there are many super recipes out there to get even more mileage out of those pumpkins. And, provided they haven’t been damaged by those frosty, freezing nights, those pumpkins can be brought inside and stored for winter use.

For pumpkin storage ideal storage conditions include a cool, dry place. Temperatures should be around 50%. Humidity should be between 50 and 70% with some good air circulation. Pumpkins will probably not too long in a cold, damp cellar. They may fare a whole lot better tucked away in an upstairs bedroom or in an attic. You might even get 4 – 5 months out of your pumpkins (and winter squash) under these ideal conditions.

Keep in mind, if room temperatures are too warm (at temps over 55 degrees) the pumpkins might get stringy. And, remember, pumpkins and winter squash simply will not last forever. They all have a very definite shelf life. Eventually the starches will turn into sugars, and their water content will keep increasing. And those small blemishes can (and will) turn into rot. So stored pumpkins (and winter squash) should all be checked periodically.

Also, before you tuck away those pumpkins and winter squash, wipe them down with a cloth soaked in a 10% bleach solution. This will kill those rotten germs that can rot your pumpkins and winter squash and turn them into unrecognizable piles of stinking mush!

To avoid any storage and spoilage problems (what a waste!), many people freeze, dry, can, or pickle their pumpkins and winter squash for later winter use. Process them by boiling, steaming, baking. As with all vegetables, don’t drown your pumpkins and winter squash if you boil them as a means of cooking. Over-cooking or drowning will result in a major loss of both nutrients and flavor.

If you go with freezing your pumpkins now for future recipes later this winter, pack the cooked pulp in 1 or 2 cup containers or freezer bags, since most recipes call for these quantities. And if you are going to use the frozen cooked pulp for pumpkin pie, remember to drain this pulp thoroughly as it thaws before adding it to the rest of the recipe. Keep in mind, pie pumpkins make for really great pumpkin pies; Jack o’Lantern pumpkins are usually more watery and blander tasting.

There are really quite a few pumpkin recipes out there, besides the traditional pumpkin pie recipes. Check out different recipe books out there from your neighbors, relatives, from your local libraries, or from your Cornell Cooperative Extension in your county.

Try something new – be creative – go for it! As with the early settlers over 200 years ago, that versatile pumpkin can be used in many different recipes – not just for pumpkin pies. After all, those early settlers had some really great teachers – the American Indians.

Imagine – pumpkin for soufflés, cakes, breads, cookies, rolls, soups, jams, conserves, pickles . . .

And the list goes on and on and on, but fortunately I’m not going to go on and on. Instead I am going to thank all of you for shopping at your favorite local farmers’ markets this year. All of us farmers, growers, and producers really appreciate your patronage.

Hey – Remember – Eat Smart New York!

And – Bye – Talk to you soon!
D