Heirloom Pumpkins and Squash
Stunning examples of colorful pumpkins and squash with a flavorful history
Of the many traditions left behind by our forefathers, none are more evocative of Thanksgiving than cooking with beautifully delicious heirloom winter squashes and pumpkins. Chances are, when your grandparents sat down to give thanks, the pumpkin pies, squash pies, stuffings and breads on their tables were made from one of these antique beauties.
Recent efforts by hard-working American seed-savers have prevented this rich agricultural treasure trove from disappearing in the face of factory farming. Look for these and other non-hybrid, non-GMA, open pollinated and completely eco-friendly regional stunners at your local farm stands.
Silvery blue on the outside, vivid orange inside, Jarrahdale squashes are almost too pretty to eat. So do both~put one on the doorstep as decoration, and then another on the table, baked in pies and breads.
A very old favorite from the old central market in Paris in the 1880s, and as pretty as it's meat is sweet. The name (Red Stamps) may be French, but it has a long history in America.
For those who are a bit daunted by cutting and handling the larger pumpkins and squash, the smaller dimension of squashes like Carnival and its cousin, Sweet Dumpling is for you. Easy to handle, sweet, and almost too pretty to eat.
Like a vision right out of Cinderella, the pumpkin known as Fairytale has the high, deeply ridged cheeks that are often found in the older varieties of this vegetable. The greenish-brown coloration of the skin makes it very decorative.
This is a pumpkin that is flat, tan, and utterly delicious. Inside is a buttery orange. Dry, non-stringy meat produces the most delicious pies, much favored by gourmet bakers.
Another pumpkin with a French heritage, this one is ripe even when its skin is mostly green. Inside, it's all orange, with characteristic pumpkin flavor.
This beautiful little antique comes from Japan, where it is known as a great keeping variety. Another smaller squash, easy to handle, with delicious, sweet meat.
Old timers know that the blue hubbard squash is one of the best keepers in the winter squash family. Stored in root cellars or even in unheated bedrooms, many a farm family relied on this beautiful vegetable to see them through the winter. Today, we love them for their quirky good looks and dry, delicious, non-stringy meat.
Sustainable Substitute
While cooking pumpkins and squash for recipes is easy, for the time crunched among us, there are now great alternatives from purveyors of organic canned squash such as these from Farmer's Market. Look for the USDA Organic label, and reserve your local finds from the local farm stand for natural autumn decorations.
If you have a little extra time, it's easy to Make Your Own Fresh Pumpkin Puree at home.
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