"winter squashes" news and stories

Last week I picked up a small pumpkin at a local Fair Food Farmstand. They were mounded in a wooden crate with a handwritten sign above them that said, "Pumpkins--for pies, not carving." I bought one that weighed in at just over two pounds and it's been sitting on my kitchen counter for the last few days, winking at me and daring me to do something interesting with it.

I feel some pressure to perform because I've never actually cooked anything with fresh pumpkin. Many a can of pumpkin puree has passed through my kitchen and I'm an old hand at preparing acorn, hubbard and butternut squashes. But the fresh pumpkin is a new frontier. Any recipes, suggestions, tips or tricks on how to tackle this little orange monster? Leave them in the comments, even if it's just to say that I should feel no trepidation and should just hack into it like I would any other winter squash.

photo by Marisa McClellan