This week's featured squash is the pie pumpkin. We grow 2 types of pie pumpkins and it may be somewhat random which type shows up in your box. Winter luxury is a unique pumpkin - with a beautiful russeted orange skin. The interior flesh cooks down to a sweet and creamy puree perfect for pumpkin pie! We also grow a pumpkin called "naked bear" - so named because of the seeds inside, which are hulless (or naked) and provide a delicious snack if lightly oiled and salted then roasted. The flesh of naked bear is also sweet enough to cook with.
What is the difference between pumpkins and other squash? All squash and pumpkins are in the family Cucurbitacea and within that family there are 3 main species of winter squash; C. pepo, C. maxima and C. moschata. Most pumpkins fall into the pepo species, which means they can cross pollinate with any squash in that species, which includes acorn squash and even zucchini! What we call pumpkin is really a description of the "look" of the squash rather than a botanical or even culinary term. Pumpkins sold for jack-0-lanterns are generally flavourless and good only for decoration, so we focus on pumpkins that can be eaten. While these are usually called "pie pumpkins", there is no reason you couldn't use that pumpkin to make a pumpkin curry, pumpkin pancakes or whatever you imagine. And other squash (for example the butternut and kabocha to come) could be used to make "pumpkin" pie!
Lots of lovely greens this week - the arugula, mizuna and kale are prime as the weather cools down. We are counting down to the end of the CSA season now. This is week 18, so only 2 more boxes to go after this one. In the past we've done a shortened winter CSA but we've decided not to offer winter shares this year, so savour these final fall offerings!
Thank you for allowing us to farm for you.
