The last days of summer are slowly floating by. The air has changed and the sweltering hot days are leaving us behind. Oh, how we welcome the cool nights and the slight change of the leaves! Just around the corner we will have ghosts and goblins, witches and elves, superheroes and princesses running around all of our streets. And, in front of many houses you will see orange lanterns with glowing eyes.

Irish legend has it that long ago a man by the name of Stingy Jack was having a drink with the Devil. It was told that Jack was so stingy that he conned the Devil into turning into a coin to pay for the drinks. He then took the Devil/coin and put it in his pocket next to a cross. By keeping the two together, the Devil could not change back into the Devil. After some time, Jack allowed the Devil loose on the condition that his soul would be safe from going to eternal damnation. But the Devil did not let up and again met up with Jack. During this encounter Jack then conned the Devil into climbing up a tree. While he was up there, Jack drew a cross on the tree, and, you guessed it, the Devil was stuck. Once again, Jack made a pact with the Devil before letting him free that prevented the Devil from harassing Jack. A year later, on Halloween, Jack died. When he got to heaven, he was turned away for the way he was. At the gates of Hell, he was turned away as well because the Devil could not take his soul. The Devil did give Jack a piece of red-ember coal to help shed some light in the darkness. In order to hold it, Jack put it in a turnip. And, thus, Jack was left to roam the earth with his little lit turnip for eternity.

Ever since then, during Halloween the good folks would make a lantern to ward off the evil spirit of Stingy Jack. When the settlers to the new world arrived, they were introduced to the pumpkin and then and there a new tradition was born. Back then, the Irish used it to welcome home the spirits of deceased ancestors and ward off any evil spirits.

But, warding off evil spirits is not the only use for pumpkins. This little vine ripened, orange ball has many hidden talents other than for decoration!

All of us, I am sure, have tasted pumpkin pie. Yummy! It makes my mouth water thinking of the cinnamon and spices combined with the pumpkin puree and served with a hot cup of cider. To understand where the pumpkin pie originated, however, we once again, must travel back in time to the first days when our country was being settled by the Europeans. Please keep in mind that during that time many of the vegetables that are our staples were not known in Europe until after the first explorers came to the Americas. The pumpkin is one of them.

The pumpkin is originally native to North America. Its name is derived from the Greek word ‘pepon’ meaning large melon. The French then took this word and began calling them ‘pompom’. As the word traveled to England, it was once again changed to ‘pumpion’. When it finally landed in America, the colonists began using the term ‘pumpkin’.

The pumpkin has been used by the native peoples from weaving the dried strips into mats to concoctions in healing wounds to keeping the body functioning properly and, of course, in the local cuisine. Its slightly sweet flavor lends itself to the sweet dishes we all have come to love during Thanks Giving, which brings me to how the pumpkin pie came about. The colonists found a particularly wonderful treat by taking the top off the pumpkin, removing the seeds, filling it with honey milk and spices and then placing it in hot embers. And, so, the pumpkin filling was developed.

The sweetness of the pumpkin is not only used in making desserts. Did you know that pumpkins can also be used for savory dishes as well? In many parts of the African Continent, pumpkins are used in stews or as side dishes. Other places use it in breads, muffins and cookies. Really, your imagination is the limit with the multiple uses of pumpkin.

Although most of us consider pumpkins a vegetable, botanically they are considered fruits.  And in some cities, whole festivals are dedicated to it. In 2005, the largest pumpkin was recorded weighing in at a whooping 1469 pounds.  Now, that is a whole lot of pies!

So, next time you are wondering what in the world you could do with the pumpkins you got to decorate your front door for Halloween, just put a pot to boil and put your creative caps on! From breads to stews, pumpkins are one versatile fruit.

 
Curried Pumpkin Stew
1 medium pumpkin, washed and clean
1 tbs olive oil
1 lb stew beef
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 15oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cup beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 tbs curry powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

1.    Carve a hole in the top of the pumpkin and remove seeds, and stringy insides. Set pumpkin aside.
2.    Dredge the meat in seasoned flour. In a dutch oven, brown the stew meat in oil.
3.    Add in 1 bell pepper(sliced into inch thick slices), 1 onion (sliced), 3 carrots(cubed), 2 cloves of garlic(diced), 2 sticks of celery(sliced) and 3-4 new potatoes cut in fourths.
4.    Add the curry powder, bay leaf cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cook until onions are soft.
5.    Add the can of crush tomatoes.
6.    Add beef stock.
7.    Add salt and pepper to taste.
8.    Let simmer for 1 hour.
9.    Place pumpkin in shallow pan, and place stew inside pumpkin.
10.    Brush the outside of the pumpkin with a light coating of oil.
11.    Bake pumpkin and stew at 350 for 2 hours, or until pumpkin is tender.
12.    Serve wile hot.
13.    Be sure to get chunks of pumpkin in your stew, as they enhance the flavor of the stew!