It’s obvious that one of the flavors of the season is pumpkin (along with gingerbread and anything caramel). What used to be a decoration for the front porch, subject to neighborhood hooligans ready to smash and run, is now a food—and we are learning the varietals in the same way we figured out the difference between Roma and Heirloom tomatoes.
The recipes, of course, are part of the discussion. We now know how to make homemade pumpkin puree, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin custard, pumpkin lattes and pumpkin bread.
We know it’s a fruit, not a vegetable, and that pumpkin contains antioxidants and vitamins in enough quantities to be labeled as a superfood. So go ahead and eat up this season—we are!
In fact, we experimented with a homegrown variety that our editor first tasted during a trip to Australia. With the rise in interest in pumpkins, people are growing the varietals, and not sticking to the traditional pie pumpkin. Our pumpkin of choice is actually called a Jarrahdale, or more commonly, a New Zealand Blue. It is blue-toned on the outside, and sherbert-orange on the inside.
Try our soup recipe, which has been adapted from one a chef in Australia shared with us. If you can’t find a Jarrahdale, try a butternut pumpkin, but you can adapt any kind of pumpkin (yes, even canned puree). Just adjust seasonings to taste and have fun experimenting with one of the flavors of the season!
