Pumpkins

Pumpkin pie is a must-have at our Thanksgiving dinner. We enjoy the rich, spicy filling, baked in a crust, and topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Nothing fancy for us - the recipe is straight from the Libby’s can. I’ve tried baking and mashing my own pumpkin; but it tastes the same, so I’m sticking with Libby’s.

Pumpkin vines can reach 10 - 25 feet, depending on the type.

Pumpkins are a warm-season, frost tender annual from the Cucurbitaceae family. Two major types are the Cucurbita pepo (small to medium size, used for Jack o’ Lanterns and pies) and C. maxima (the variety of winter squash that is often grown as a giant pumpkin). Pumpkins grow on prostrate vines with prickly stems and triangular leaves. Male and female flowers grow on the same plant – the male flowers supply pollen, female flowers bear fruit (look for the small bulb shape at the base of the flower). Bees pollinate the flowers. Pumpkins require the soil and air to be above 60°F (16° C), and take 95-120 days to mature.

Pumpkin flowers, seeds, and fruit are all edible. 

Pumpkins are “new world” plants – indigenous to the Western hemisphere, and thought to have been grown in North America for 5,000 years. The gourd family—Cucurbitaceae—is native to Central America and Mexico, and includes melons, cucumbers, and watermelons. Pumpkin-based dishes, such as soup, toasted seeds, baked or pureed fruit, pumpkin oil for dipping, and pumpkin pie, are fitting dishes at the American Thanksgiving feast.