While we were in Europe, summer gave way to autumn. At the Farmers' Market, mums replaced the begonias, and pumpkins replaced the tomatoes.
Did you know the following about pumpkins?
* Pumpkins originated in North America - specifically Mexico. Seeds found there date back 5-7,000 years!
* "Pumpkin" comes from the Greek, "pepon," or large melon. The French changed it to "pompon," and the English to "pumpion."
* Pumpkins were part of the Indians' diet long before Europeans arrived at Plymouth Rock. They used them in everything from stews to desserts.
* Europeans made the first "pumpkin pies" by filling hollow pumpkin shells with milk and spices and baking them in the ashes of cooking fires. (I prefer mine with crust.)
* Pumpkins come in a variety of colors, from white to various shades of orange.
* Pumpkins also come in a variety of sizes. Miniature ones can weigh less than a pound. The World Record for largest pumpkin was recorded just last week (9/27/07). The winner, from Massachusetts, weighed 1689 pounds! (Makes that 1000 pound one from Tennessee look like a sprout.)
16 comments:
Great shot!! I'm getting hungry for pumpkin pie. Good thing Thanksgiving is this weekend (at least it is in Canada), which means lots of turkey and pumpkin pie!
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Yes! a really nice shot and some very interesting facts too...which I'm sure I could share with my English language students here in Poland (with your permission ofcourse!). Also thanks for enlightening me about the history of All Saints' Day. You sure do have some great facts! Thanks for visiting Toruń DP...do come again!
Nice orange colors. I seen someone else has a pumpkin photo. One of my favorites is pumpkin pie.
The pumpkin and squash were famous foods used by Native Americans, as I recall.
I like your photo and reminder that we are due for pumpkin pie. My wife has been emailing pumpkin pie receipes to blog friends in England.
I saw some other great looking pumpkins earlier at Port Angeles DP. What a lovely coincidence! I think I'll make pumpion soup this week :).
Squash and pumpkins. What wonderful fall food, and I, too, am glad that both Halloween and Thanksgiving are rapidly approaching!
I knew nothing about pumpkins until my friend lori from new york sent me a picture of some which I worked with recently and published on my blog.
Now I seem to see them everywhere.
I think the only time I've eaten pumpkin was in New Zealand 2001 when we had some as a vegatable with roast lamb.
Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!
The comments by Mandy and Gerald reminded me that, while we live in one world, we live in such different worlds. In other words, what we find as an everyday food here, may be something that natives of another country may never have tasted it.
Interesting pumpkin stats...and some really nice pumpkins.
Well now those are some fine pumpkins! Love the color.
Great color Chris! Reminder of fall season...I actually like pumpkins more for jack-o-lanterns than for recipes, but I always like their association with the fall season.
Hello... so you've been in Europe?
For how long?
As for the pumpkins, the photo is a great catch. As for the rest... I hate pumpkins... but my wife keeps on trying to give me pumpkin soup...
Wonderful commentary on pumpkins. I had no idea! This year, I've decided to visit a real pumpkin patch!
I like pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin pie with A LOT of crust.
I love orange and these pumpkins are superb.
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