Pumpkin, the forgotten fruit

Did you know that Antarctica is the only continent that cannot grow pumpkins? Did you know that the biggest recorded pumpkin was 500 pounds? Did you know that pumpkin is a fruit in the squash family? Did you know that 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year? Did you know that pumpkins originated in North America? Did you know that you can eat a pumpkin? I'm guessing that the answer to most of these questions is no. When people think of pumpkins, they generally think of Halloween and the many creative ways to carve a pumpkin. For example, picture above, "Elder Potato head". One may also think of Cinderella and her amazing Fairy Godmother's work with a pumpkin. The reprobates of the world may be thinking "whose car can I throw one at?". But when I look at a pumpkin, as with many other fruits, I see food. Somehow in all the hustle and bustle, we as a society have forgotten that you can cook a pumpkin. Said one when I mentioned I was cooking a pumpkin "you can cook pumpkin?". Another when asked where they thought canned pumpkin came from answered "the grocery store".

I am here to remind you that yes, not only can pumpkin be cooked into several delicious delicacies, it is exceedingly nutritious! Let's break it down.

per 1 cup cooked boiled and drained pumpkin there are:
Calories 49
Fat 0 grams
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg Zinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg

Might I specially point out the 2650 IU of Vitamin A!!! That is 245% of the daily vitamin A you need folks!



It is true that pumpkin does take some time and energy to convert into a usable form, so now that you feel sufficiently guilty for simply carving your pumpkin and leaving all that vitamin A outside to rot, let me tell you one way to cook a pumpkin.

1. obtain a pumpkin. Because of the aforementioned societal bias, October is the best time.
2. cut it in a manner to sufficiently be able to carve out the guts
3. carve out the guts (be sure to keep the seeds! They can make a yummy snack! I'm not sure if there are any uses for the goo...)
4. Chop the pumpkin into manageable pieces, i.e. pieces that will fit into a pot
5. boil the pumpkin! It will need about 30-45 minutes or until it is very soft.
6. Here I usually let it cool well, and then peel it. It can be peeled before boiling, but I find it infinitely easier to peel it after boiling. The flesh should fall off the skin fairly easily.
7. Stick it in a blender and puree it. There should be no clumps and it will seem a bit runny, should remind you of baby food.
8. Return your canned pumpkin to the store.
9. Freeze it or use it right away!!
10. Enjoy your scrumptious treats year long.

tip: pumpkin seeds are especially delicious when they have been soaked in worcestershire sauce and then roasted!

There you have it, pumpkin with a purpose. By all means, continue to carve pumpkins, I obviously am amused by it. However let us expand our horizens and utilize one of pumpkins most valuable assests, its flavor.