Gramma Pumpkin Seeds To Buy
Perhaps this year you found the perfect pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern or perhaps you grew an unusual heirloom pumpkin this year and wish to try growing it again next year. Saving pumpkin seeds is easy. Planting pumpkin seeds from pumpkins you have enjoyed also ensures that you can enjoy them again next year.
gramma pumpkin seeds to buy
Next year, when it comes time for planting pumpkin seeds, your pumpkin seeds will be ready to go. Saving pumpkin seeds is a fun activity for the whole family, as even the smallest hand can help. And, after you properly store pumpkin seed for planting, children can also help plant the seeds in your garden.
A grilled romaine Caesar salad ($10) held up well in the takeout box. A large chunk of very fresh romaine had been split lengthwise from the head, grilled just long enough to impart tasty char marks, and topped with earthy, grated Pecorino cheese, crunchy bread crumbs and pumpkin seeds. A tub of garlicky, faintly anchovy-laced Caesar dressing, served on the side, made it perfect, as did a couple of squares of light, crusty focaccia.
Fresh pumpkins are available in the fall and winter. Some specimens have weighed in at over 100 pounds! There are two types of pumpkins available commercially. Sugar pumpkins are usually the smaller, deep orange variety. Field pumpkins, also known as jack o' lanterns, are larger, a brighter shade of orange and more suitable for carving. Although both varieties are edible, sugar pumpkins have sweeter flesh and are better for cooking.The flesh from the smaller ones are more tender and less stringy than the larger variety. Pumpkin has a mild, sweet flavor and the seeds, husked and roasted, are deliciously nutty.
Select pumpkins that are between five to eight pounds, free from blemishes and heavy for their size. Store whole pumpkins at room temperature up to a month or refrigerate up to 3 months. Puréed pumpkin is also available canned. Pumpkin may be prepared in almost any way suitable for winter squash. It's a good source of vitamin A.
Pumpkin is highly perishable and must be cooked the same day it is cut open. Otherwise, the flesh will develop a feathery black mold. Cooked pumpkin should be refrigerated immediately. Puréed pulp should be used within 36 hours, or freeze for later use.
Did you know the pumpkin pie was introduced to the holiday table at the Pilgrim's second Thanksgiving in 1623? The new Americans found the Indians growing and using this large and cumbersome fruit. They soon adapted it to their households as a much loved food. In Australia and Great Britain they have a similar pie made of pumpkin called "Gramma's Pie".
Note: An alternative method for dealing with the difficult task of removing the hard shell from fresh pumpkin or squash, is to put the pumpkin in the microwave oven for 5 minutes on high. Allow to cool a little, and then slice it open. It will be much easier to cut. Simply remove the seeds and membrane and proceed with cooking until tender. Use the pulp in any recipe calling for canned or cooked pumpkin.
An old favourite with country cooks, gramma pie is distinctly different from the USA's pumpkin pie. The art of making a good gramma pie is top drain the gramma well, extracting as much liquid as possible. You may have to ask the grocer to order it for you.
Peel gramma, discard the seeds and then chop into pieces and cook with a little water in a covered saucepan for a good 3/4 hour. Drain until cold, pressing lightly to extract as much of the liquid as possible.
The Dickinson Pumpkin is an American heirloom pie pumpkin considered to be the go-to pie-making pumpkin by many bakers and chefs. These medium-sized, tall pumpkins are American heirlooms, with roots in Kentucky and Illinois. Ripe pumpkins weigh about 10-14 pounds each.
Dickinson pumpkins have dense orange flesh with minimal water content. Flavor is sweet and complex, while the texture is firm, making a thick purée. The dense flesh is not at all watery when puréed for pie, and this heritage cultivar is known for its rich flavor when baked.
Fairytale Pumpkins (also known as Musquée de Provence, Calabaza de Castilla, or Castilla Squash), are French heirloom gourmet culinary pumpkins. These medium-large-sized fruits have a dusky-tan exterior when ripe.
The Fairytale Pumpkins have a sweet, fresh flavor when used for pumpkin pies. Flesh is firm, making a thick pumpkin purée with a spicy scent and a sweet, mild flavor. Overall, Fairytale Pumpkin makes a delicious pumpkin pie filling that is creamy, smooth, and tender.
Long Pie Pumpkins have thick orange flesh that makes an absolutely decadent pumpkin purée. These heirlooms have the classic old-fashioned pumpkin pie taste that is hard to find. This is a pumpkin worth searching for!
Jarrahdale Pumpkin is an heirloom cooking pumpkin considered to be one of the best pumpkins for making pumpkin pie filling. These medium-large sized culinary pumpkins were originally cultivated in Australia, and grow to be in the range of 12-18 pounds when ripe.
Red Kuri Squash is a Japanese heirloom squash that makes delicious, bright orange, rich, and flavorful pumpkin pies. This red-orange, teardrop-shaped squash weighs 5-8 pounds each. Some pie-makers may want to roast 2 squashes when making larger (or multiple) pies.
Red Kuri Squash is fantastic for pumpkin pie not only because of its dense, deliciously-sweet flesh but also because the bright color of the puree shines through even after the pie has been cooked. These squash make pumpkin pies that look just as good as they taste!
Seminole Pumpkin is a small tan heirloom cooking pumpkin from the Everglades (Florida, USA). These pumpkins taste a lot like Butternut Squash but can be grown in hotter, more humid climates.
Seminole Pumpkins make a smooth and sweet pumpkin pie filling with a deep orange color. The flesh is dense and rich, making a hearty pie filling. Seminole Pumpkin pie filling tends to be a bit sweeter than pie filling from some other common choices, such as Jarrahdale or Butternut Squash.
The Zucchino Rampicante Squash is a Cucurbita moschata cultivar, along with other pumpkin pie-making favorites like Musquée de Provence (Fairytale Pumpkins), Butternut Squash, and Dickinson Pie Pumpkin.
Kabocha Pumpkin is a small, dark green Japanese heirloom culinary pumpkin. These pumpkins have a rough outer rind and a bright orange interior. Each pumpkin ranges in size from about 3-5 pounds, so bakers may want to purchase a few squashes to roast.
Buttercup Squash is a winter squash that works well as a small, green-skinned pumpkin in festive autumn displays. They have a turban-like button on the bottom, and the rind often has thin vertical grey streaks. Ripe fruits weigh about 3 pounds each.
Futsu Black Pumpkin is a small-sized, green-black heirloom pumpkin from Japan. These unique pumpkins are round and very dark green as they start to mature, developing deep ribs and a wrinkly rind. Ripe Black Futsu Pumpkins turn a dusky brown color, and weighing about 3 pounds.
Winter Luxury Pumpkin is a medium-sized, tan, North American heirloom pumpkin cultivar. These pumpkins grow to reach 6-8 pounds when ripe and are known for both their pale, rough, webbed rind and incredibly sweet, smooth flesh. Winter Luxury remains a sought-after pie pumpkin for bakers.
Winter Luxury makes a thick purée with a sweet flavor and a silky smooth texture. This pumpkin is a different botanical type than most pie pumpkins but has undeniably smooth and balanced characteristics that are so sought after by bakers.
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin is a medium-sized, tan heirloom pumpkin cultivar from Long Island (NY, USA). These pumpkins have a pale pastel creamy-yellow rind, rather like a big wheel of cheese. Each pumpkin weighs in the range of 6-10 pounds.
Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin is a medium-sized, dark green heirloom pumpkin from the town of Chiogga, Italy (just south of Venice). These Italian heirlooms weigh about 10-12 pounds each and are known for their warty, wrinkly, almost bubbly rind.
Marina Di Chioggia is an excellent cooking pumpkin, making a purée with a deep, dark orange color. This rich, dense winter squash is delicious in pies due to its sweet flavor that is enhanced by roasting the flesh prior to pureeing.
Jaune Gros De Paris Pumpkin (Yellow Of Paris Pumpkin) is a large, yellow heirloom pumpkin variety from France. These big yellow pumpkins typically weigh 40-50 pounds but can grow to reach over 100 pounds in good conditions. While this heirloom is beautiful, it is known mainly for its tender, sweet cooked flesh. Use this pumpkin variety in pies, soups, or baked goods like pumpkin bread.
Jaune Gros de Paris Pumpkins make a bright yellow purée. The flesh is thick, making a dense yet tender purée for pumpkin pie. The bright color remains somewhat yellow-orange when cooked, for a nicely-colored cooked pie.
Blue Doll Pumpkin is a medium-large, blue-grey modern hybrid pumpkin variety bred to have the appearance and flavor of an old-fashioned heirloom pumpkin. Fruits are deeply ribbed and reach 15-20 pounds per fruit.
Queensland Blue Pumpkin is a large, blue-grey heirloom pumpkin cultivar from Australia. The gorgeous grey-blue pumpkins have deep ribs and a flattened, almost cylindrical frame. These pumpkins store for many months due to their thick rind.
Tokyo Blue Squash is known for its incredibly smooth texture and sweet taste in pumpkin purée. When used for pie filling, the fine-grained flesh is aromatic, a bit earthy, and retains some of the yellow colors after cooking.
Flat White Boer Pumpkin is a large, creamy-white heirloom pumpkin variety historically cultivated in South Africa. These pale pumpkins grow to 25-30 pounds when ripe. This variety is great both for decorating and for use in cooked pumpkin recipes. 041b061a72