The leaves are rustling and the days are getting shorter, it's pumpkin time again! This time of year brings back memories of the giant pumpkins my mom grew in our garden (by most standards it would qualify as a field) when I was a kid. Every year we managed to find time during the busy field work season to go out to the pumpkin patch for pictures sitting on our choice pumpkin. Then the giants would have to be hauled to our front yard in the tractor's loader bucket. May have been where I developed my case of pumpkin fever?
Pumpkins are essential for the perfect autumn display, and grouping different sizes will give you a pop of color as the flowering annual season comes to a close. Try adding in some heirloom varieties for texture and and to expand your color palette, you can't beat them for longevity either! Follow this link from "100 Layer Cake" for easy heirloom pumpkin identification.
http://www.100layercake.com/blog/2014/10/23/heirloom-pumpkin-varieties-fall/
Enjoy the pale green shelled Jarrahdale pumpkin through Halloween in your autumn display. Before the hard freeze bring it to the kitchen to create a delicious pumpkin recipe, it is one of the many that are excellent for cooking projects.
Tamy's Tips
4 easy steps to dual purpose your pumpkin investment:
1. Timing- You will want to make the cut-off date for display before the hard freeze.
2. Cleaning- Wash well, take off stems and cut in half. Clean out seeds and scrape well.
3. Cooking- Pre-heat oven to 400˚ and prep your pan with 1/2" of water. Roast at 350˚ in oven until tender, peel off the outer shell, then run through your food processor to create a delicous puree!
4. Storing- Measure out into the freezer bags for the amount of pumpkin your favorite recipes call for and label the bags with the recipe it will be used in. Freeze until you have a pumpkin craving!
You can enjoy the awesome flavor and the many health benefits of fresh pumpkin all winter. It is great family fun and an educational activity too! We found a link from "The Homesteady" to show how easy it is to make.
http://www.thehomesteady.com/my-blog/2013/09/make-your-own-pumpkin-puree.html
At 1-800Flowers|Flowerama Iowa City we do Pumpkins in a big way...everything from Jack'o'Lantern and heirloom varieties, to gourds and don't forget the corn shocks to complete your autumn display. In our vast display we stock jumbo size pumpkins down to the tiniest minis. We invite you to come by and browse our massive display of orange out front on Riverside Drive and would love to share our "Pumpkin Passion" with you this fall!