In an effort to be economical, healthy and wise I decided that instead of buying canned pumpkin for my holiday cooking, I would buy a pumpkin. I'll let you in on a secret: I actually don't like pumpkin! I like pumpkin pie (when heavily spiced) or pumpkin flavored lattes (when heavily spiced) or pumpkin bread (when heavily spiced) but not straight pumpkin. So I actually have never bought a pumpkin. Now I have done a little reading and knew that there were different types of pumpkins. And I even thought I knew what kind to get for baking. So I went to the store prepared to buy an approximately 4 lb pumpkin, cinderella variety.
Well at my grocery store, they didn't have pumpkins. They had oodles of squash, but no pumpkin. Only something that looked like a pumpkin that was called Calabasa (Spanish name but no translation). Well it looked pumpkin-like so I chose the smallest one that they had, felt it, it felt pretty light, and stuck it in my cart. I was a little worried that it maybe wasn't quite 4 lbs but figured if not, I would get by with the amount I had. When I was checking out (with my three cloth bags plus a pumpkin) the bagging lady wished me enjoyment of my pumpkin (to which I almost responded, "oh, so it is a pumpkin?" but then I was glad I didn't) and then corrected herself and called it a squash.
So now I wasn't sure I had a pumpkin, and I wasn't sure it was even 4 lbs. Time to turn to wikipedia! After much searching I determined that I had most likely bought something in the broad pumpkin family and that it might even be a cheese pumpkin which is excellent for baking. So I baked it last night. My there was a lot of pumpkin. This morning I pureed it all. My there was a lot of pumpkin. I made the pumpkin pie spiced ice cream that I intended to make with some of the puree and it smelled pretty good. And there was still a lot leftover. No worries on running short of pumpkin.
I looked at the grocery slip just for kicks to see how much my "light" pumpkin weighed- um 10.64 lbs. (I think I need to stop carrying the kid around.) So we have A LOT of pumpkin puree.
Did I mention I only like pumpkin when it is heavily spiced?
~you never know what is going to happen next in Berji's world~
3 comments:
I have a great pumpkin bread recipe that has a variation for fresh puree as opposed to canned. I also have a pumpkin/Apple butter recipe that you would like. It's for the crockpot. I'll e-mail them to you tomorrow. I would do it now but I am not moving from my bed because there is a mouse in my house and once we turn out lights for the evening he jumps out of nowhere and I might have a heart attack.
Serious? You're in Austin? I figured out the Texas part, but thought you were near Houston. I was thinking about going with him on this trip but it ended up falling on a payroll week and I had to work. He keeps going to towns you live in. He was in Tuscon last year.
Love your stories on here. I cooked up a small pumpkin too, but by the time I was ready to puree it, it wasn't any good anymore. :( So sad.
I don't have a crock pot but would love the recipes!
I found a recipe that looks like something similar to Marsha's pumpkin spice wonderfulness that she brought to pot luck a few times. I'm going to try tonight b/c Dr. Daddy is craving "yummies" apparently :)
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