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Written by Theresa Myers, for NEXTnc
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Wednesday, 25 October 2006 |
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 You can see them everywhere: On porches, in front yards, sitting on railings sporting strange smiles.
Pumpkins are no doubt the most recognizable symbol of fall. My children start bugging me in September to visit the pumpkin farms so they can select their Jack-O-Lanterns. It’s difficult to put them off until October.
And as much as I jump on the pumpkins-
as-decorations bandwagon every year, I have never cooked with fresh pumpkin. My pumpkin has always come from a can, nicely pureed and seasoned, and ready to be plopped into a recipe.
This year I vowed I’d be more adventurous. So last week I visited Tigges Farms, 12406 Weld County Road 64 1/2, between Greeley and Windsor, to see what kind of cooking pumpkins I could find. (Check other pumpkin patch listings on page 40.)
Kathy Rickart, daughter of farm owner Mary Tigges, was manning the cash register at the pumpkin and produce stand. I expected to buy a few of the small, pie pumpkins I’ve seen in the grocery stores. But when Kathy took me outside, I was surprised to discover just how many varieties of pumpkins can be used for cooking.
“Everyone has their favorites,” Rickart said.
The first variety she showed me was the Long Island Cheesecake Pumpkin, which hails from New York. It’s tan on the outside, creamy and orange on the inside, Rickart said.
“This one has a nice, smooth, sweet and creamy texture,” she said.
Next was the Jarrahdale, an Australian variety, which has a green exterior. The seeds of the pumpkin are not available commercially and have been saved by amateur seed collectors, Rickart said.
The French contribution to the pie pumpkin family is a squat, dark-orange squash that is larger than the other varieties. It has a long French name, but is called the Cinderella variety in the United States.
Rickart said some people also prefer to use Hubbard squash for their pies and cakes. The blue Hubbard has a rough, greenish-blue exterior and is as hard as a rock. Cooks need to use an ax or saw to cut it open, Rickart said, but the squash will keep all winter.
I finally chose the Jarrahdale pumpkin for my adventure. I talked to several people and consulted several recipes before deciding the best way to cook the pumpkin was to bake it.
I cut it into about 2-inch slices (a difficult task that required a super-sharp butcher knife), sprinkled the pieces with nutmeg and cinnamon, and roasted it in a 350 degree oven for an hour. When cooled, the pumpkin had the texture of butternut squash. I cut off the peels, and cut the cooked pumpkin.
Several people told me I would have to strain the pumpkin to get out the strings, but I came up with my own idea.
I pressed the pieces through my potato ricer, a hand-held device that squeezes cooked potatoes through a metal mesh, creating a fine mash.
This worked great, and kept most of the strings out of the puree. From one, medium-sized pumpkin, I was able to make two loaves of pumpkin bread and one pie.
I was pleased with the results. Although it took a little more work, it was nice to be able to control the sugar and spices in this homemade puree.
I won’t say I won’t ever open a can again. But I won’t be afraid of fresh pumpkin anymore, unless it’s carved with a particularly scary face.
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WHERE TO GO FOR PUMPKINS
- Besides your regular grocery stores, look for locally grown pumpkins from pumpkin patches:
- Spooky’s Pumpkin Patch, 3300 S. College Ave. Call 388.7639.
- Pumpkin Patch, The Farm at Lee Martinez Park, 600 N. Sherwood St.Call 221.6665
- Something From the Farm, 7755 Greenstone Trail, three miles south of Harmony Road just west of Timberline Go online to www.somethingfromthefarm.com.
- The Pumpkin Patch, 3424 E. Douglas Road. Call 493.3853 or go online to www.thebartelsfarm.com for more information.
- Harvest Farm Maze, 4240 E. Larimer 66 in Wellington. Go online to www.harvestfarm.net
- Ellis Ranch Pumpkin Festival, 2331 Waterdale Drive, Loveland.Go to www.ellisrancheventcenter.com
- Osborn Farms, 1933 SE 14th St., Loveland, 1¼ miles east of U.S. Highway 287 off Colo. 402. Call 669.4407
- Pumpkins Plus at the Kiehn Farm, 19158 County Line Road, Berthoud. Call 532.3563
- The Fritzler Maize, 20861 U.S. Highway 85, LaSalle, six miles south of Greeley. Go to www.fritzlermaze.com.
- Anderson Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, 2 miles west of Interstate 25 on Colorado Highway 52. Take Weld County Road 3¼ to the farm. Go to www.andersonfarms.com
- Miller Farms Corn Maze, 9040 Colorado Highway 66, Platteville. Go to www.millerfarms.net.
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Click on the recipes for and closer look at the recipe.
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