Bachman`s Guide to Pumpkins

Bachman’s Guide to Pumpkins
Cheese pumpkin
Its botanical name is moschata) is squatty and
has a pale outer shell with deep vertical lines. It
is more often part of a beautiful display of fall
fruits and vegetables than part of dinner. Smaller
and more familiar sugar pumpkins are often used
for pies, soups, or purees. They also make good
baking vessels. Bring the whole pumpkin to the table
to serve. It will feel a little like cutting into
the fall centerpiece.
Cinderella’s pumpkin
looks like the pumpkin that became Cinderella’s Coach.
Cinderella is an ornamental novelty pumpkin.
Deeply ridged, exceptionally flattened fruits
weigh 25-30 lbs. Thick, sweet flesh is
moist and custard like.
Traditional pumpkin
In North America, decorative pumpkins are
carved into jack-o’-lanterns in honor of Halloween.
Pumpkins bred for this purpose are usually meant
to be very large, mostly hollow and flat-bottomed for
stability. The side effect of the large growth is that
the flesh of the pumpkin is usually watery and bland.
Although the seeds inside decorative pumpkins are
excellent for toasting, the flesh should not be eaten,
as it is usually tasteless. Common varieties of
decorative pumpkin include Howdon Biggy
and Connecticut Field.
Jarrahdale pumpkin
Soft, melon-like aroma, delicious flesh deep,
bright orange, very firm, very little stringiness
this variety is from the town of Jarrahdale
in New Zealand
Lumina pumpkin
‘Cucurbita maxima’, is a ghostly white pumpkin
that is good for carving, painting or baking! Just the
porch lights from other houses make Lumina glow.
Lumina is excellent for painting with its very
smooth skin. The flavor and texture of the Lumina
pumpkin makes it excellent for baking. The Lumina
is 8 to 10 inches in diameter and weighs 10 to
12 pounds each. The soil should be kept evenly
moist. Harvest before the first light frost or
when the pumpkin foliage begins to dry out.
Peanut Pumpkin
Although the outside looks like peanuts, it is in no way
related to a peanut, but instead is a type of squash grown
in France called the Galeux d’Eysines.
It is an outstanding warty variety of squash with sweet
orange flesh that is great in soups. The fruits weigh
between 5 and 10 kg. For decorative purposes, it should
be harvested before overly mature, because the
peanut-like warts continue to grow and will cover the
entire fruit. This variety does not keep for long, only
about 90 days. It is a very old variety and is mentioned in
France, in 1885, in the book “Les Plantes Potagères” of
Vilmorin-Andrieux. It is also known as “Brodée Galeuse”.
Pie Pumpkin
Pie pumpkins are any one of several varieties of pumpkin grown for eating rather than decorative purposes.
Generally, pie pumpkins are smaller and more dense
than decorative pumpkins. Recipes calling for pumpkin
may use canned or fresh pie pumpkins, but should
never have decorative pumpkins used as a substitute.
The Red Warty
Is a crossbreed with a red Hubbard squash and is
more squash than pumpkin. As its name implies it
has lumpy Redwartypumpkin red skin. This is a very
decorative pumpkin that can add color and rich texture
to a display. The sweet flesh makes good eating but
the bumpy exterior makes tough carving. For something
a bit more unusual whether in shape or color a
red pumpkin would be a delightful choice.
“One-Too-Many” pumpkin
Named for a pattern resembling the gin blossom
and face-flush of a bloodshot drunk. Well named,
unique variety. The creamy fruits have pale red veins
which become a darker red on storage, giving
unusual and attractive ‘bloodshot eye’ appearance.
Football sized fruits are ideal for decorative use,
carving, or making tasty pumpkin pies.
Jack Be Little
It is a very small pumpkin, usually 3-4 inches
in diameter with well-defined ribs and a flattened
top. They are attractive decorations, and can
also be cooked as a winter squash. Small pumpkins
are grown for cooking and eating, while the
larger sizes are for Jack-o’-lanterns and exhibition.
Baby Boo
Creamy white, miniature ornamental pumpkin.
Tiny 2-3 inch pumpkins have white flesh, are
edible and store for 12-16 months. Mature in 95 days,
harvest in late August. The vines need plenty of room to
sprawl, although some can be supported on a trellis.