The Sweet Side of Pumpkin Patch

The Halloween Pumpkin

Pumpkins are usually associated with Halloween and the delicious pumpkin pie. But the pumpkin is so much more, with a rich history and so many uses, this fleshy fruit is the reason for so many events, and is the core ingredient to so many delightful recipes too.

Where the pumpkin came from has always been a bit of a mystery, but it is thought to have originated in North America where the Native Americans used them in cooking, medicines and even for furniture uses where they used the pumpkin rinds to make mats.

Today, pumpkins pop up everywhere and are the main focus of so many pumpkin festivals. Pumpkin patches all over the US also lure in kids and adults alike where families often visit to pick out their pumpkin for Halloween. The pumpkin patches have become more than just a place to choose a pumpkin though; they have become great traditional events. At the patches parents and children are free to feed and pet farm animals, take rides in hay carts, or take part in a load of other fun activities.

Pumpkins have been a massive part of traditional recipes over the years, and the sweet side to the pumpkin pie is that there are so many recipes that contain the delicious fruit. Recipes include the famous pumpkin pie, soups, tarts, cheesecake, scones and many other lovely treats too.

The wonderfully versatile pumpkin

Over the years, chefs have become more and more experimental with their uses of fruit and vegetables, and the use of the pumpkin is no exception. Pumpkin chutney in particular is a very popular side dish to go with seasonal cheese boards, where the sweetness of the pumpkin complements the strength of the cheeses beautifully.

Pumpkin cheese spreads have also grown in popularity recently and the cream cheese mixed in with sweet pureed pumpkin has become another great way to enjoy pumpkin during the winter months.

A lot of cooks are a fan of using every part of the fruit, so don’t discard the pumpkin seeds – not only are they nicely nutritious, they are completely delicious when toasted as well and make a great autumnal pre-dinner appetiser – perfect for winter munching!

So make sure you don’t throw out the flesh of your pumpkin this Halloween. Leave the Jack-o-lantern making to the kids and then you can make the most out of enjoying some wonderfully versatile pumpkin recipes.