Re: Pumpkins

[Rich McCormack]

Awhile back I wrote in part...

...There's two pumpkins growing (looks like one's going > to be a monster) but the rest have yellowed and dropped off at about > one inch diameter. I'm assuming it's a pollination problem, but > might there be some other problem?

The "monster" stopped growing at about 15 inches diameter but it and the other original pumpkin have both turned a typical pumpkin orange color. One is destined to become Thanksgiving time Pumpkin Ale and will be coming off soon enough to allow for the couple of months brewing and aging. I'd like to use the other for Thanksgiving cooking if it'll keep that long. If I take 'em off too soon I'm afraid they'll begin to rot in our current hot and humid SoCal weather; but, I've read that leaving early pumpkins on the vine will result in the same.

Question: how long can I leave these early pumpkins on the vine before they'll start to deteriorate?

The plant itself is resisting my interference in it's sex life, but I have managed to set one more pumpkin for sure and one more for maybe. I keep trying...

Rich

[Dan Mazerolle]

needed by a novice?

Dan

[Pat Meadows]

I think you could cook, puree, and freeze the one you want for Thanksgiving cooking.

Hmmm....'Putting Food By' says you can freeze it thusly:

---------------- Cut or break it in pieces. Remove seeds. Do not peel.

Cook until soft in boiling water, or steam, a pressure cooker, or in the oven. Scrape pulp from rind, mash through a sieve. Cool immediately.

Pack into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom. Seal and freeze.

-------------------

Pat

[Pat Meadows]

The Pumpkin with Black Beans sounds really nice. I like pumpkin anyway.

Thanks.

Pat

[Rich McCormack]

Got an private email asking...

"What do you do with the black beans?"

I Checked the page and discovered the beans are in the list of ingredients but not the method. Been on my web site for two, maybe three years and nobody's ever asked. Just to set the record straight...since they're already cooked, they go in towards the end to heat through while the pumpkin finishes cooking. I have since fixed the page...

Rich