Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Plain Crazy for Pumpkin!

One of the best things to me about this time of year is the return of pumpkin. Pie, cookies, bread, lattes, soup, mousse, cake, waffles, pancakes, ravioli. Even the scent in an aerosol. Bring it on!


And the twist on this craving is that it’s actually healthy, as pumpkin is a natural oxidant.

Something the Australians must know. For when I visited there in the summer of 2002, I found pumpkin soup on almost every menu--no joke--and had at least one bowl daily, even on the dive boat out in the Great Barrier Reef. Yum.


And I’m one of Starbucks’ most loyal customer when they’ve got the pumpkin latte on their menu.

Although I have to say that one time I got to taste test competing slices of pumpkin pie--one made from a hollowed-out pumpkin, the other from canned filling--I preferred the canned. Which made me wonder if I was a true pumpkin purist...


In any case, put the word “pumpkin” in a recipe title, and I’m there. Anyone else crazy for the big orange fruit?

10 fresh comments:

The Golfing Librarian said...

When I was little,(I'll let you guess how long ago that was), my mom caught me eating pumkin filling right out of the can. I really heart pumkin too!

Anonymous said...

Hi,
What I love are roasted pumpkin seeds. When my kids were little I made them while they carved their scary lopsided pumpkin faces. And I also love a good pumpkin soup, any squash for that matter.

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

Wow, everything you listed sounded wonderful!! Baskin Robbin's also comes out with a cool pumpkin cheese cake ice cream. yum!

I'm going to have to try the pumpkin latte. haha!

TinaFerraro said...

Oh, yeah, Chuck, pumpkin filling from the can is a winner, too. And that B-R ice cream sounds great, Kelly. Janie, I've never had roasted pumpkin seeds...how did I miss that???

Natalie Hatch said...

Love Pumpkin soup with a touch of garlic and coriander added. Nothing better on a cold winters night. Oh and roast pumpkin with a hot roast meal. Yum.
Roasted pumpkin salad, perfect in summer.
Pumpkin bread.
Oh don't get me started. Maybe it's just Australians who love pumpkin soo much.
I had never heard of pumpkin pie until a few years ago. Pumpkins' treated like potato over here.

cindy said...

i am a self-declared pumpkin slut, and this entry kills me! i love pumpkin season!!!

TinaFerraro said...

Natalie, roast pumpkin! I missed one...that sounds great!

And Cindy, LOL...maybe at the SCBWI next year they'll have us dress as pumpkins...maybe a whole Cinderella theme. (Are you out there, Steve and Lin?)

Unknown said...

gosh i love pumpkins! this post makes me very hungry for pumpkin somethings

Anonymous said...

I've never liked pumpkin or pumpkin flavored anything. Well, except the roasted seeds. Those are good. BTW, you've been nominated. Check out my blog for details.

Kiki said...

Mmmh, pumkin.
I've only really discovered my love of them since moving to Australia (you're right, they're everywhere, and not just in autumn).

I love a good pumpkin soup, especially with some taro or potatoes in them.
Roast pumkin is always awesome, too.

I also eat a lot of pumpkin butter with pretty much anything that can take a dip or spread.

I've never had pumkin latte though. i find the idea of powdered any-veg flavour mildly revolting in a drink.