The Pumpkin

By the Mystic Chef, Cynde Margritz

"Tonight the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch. He flies through the air and brings toys to all the children of the world." - Linus, from "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"

GOLDEN CARRIAGE

Magical magnificent pumpkins!! Who would have thought a plain yellow pumpkin could become a golden carriage? Impossible things are happening everyday. Pumpkins have been fascinating us for a long time. Early references refer to "pompion" from the Greek for "cooked by the sun." The term "pumpkin" came into common usage when the Cinderella fairy tale was written in the 1600's.

Pumpkins are native to the New World and Native American tribes introduced them to the pilgrims, who thought pumpkins were pretty neat. They used them as a guide for haircuts (pumpkinheads!), ate dried pumpkin and seeds for minerals and nourishment, and even made pumpkin beer from persimmons, pumpkins, hops, and maple sugar.

GREAT STUFF

Nutritionally, pumpkins are a rich source of Vitamin A, which can be expected from their bright orange color reflecting a high carotene content (Vitamin A precursor). A half-cup has more than three times the recommended daily requirement. They also have a very well balanced range of other nutrients including folic acid, potassium, iron, fiber, and a small amount of calcium. They are low calorie (only 80 calories per 1/2 cup serving) and nearly fat and sodium-free. The seeds are a valuable source of usable protein, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. No wonder they sustained the early inhabitants of our continent, along with corn and beans of course, the other two of the "big three" important early crops.

GREAT ENERGY

According to traditional Eastern medicine, pumpkin has a calm, centering, cooling thermal nature, and a sweet and slightly bitter flavor. The spicy, energizing spices, like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg that are usually combined with pumpkin are a perfect complement to its energy. Pumpkin is used to relieve dampness (excess mucous) in the body. It does this by promoting discharges, and in fact, pumpkin seeds are reportedly an effective remedy for parasites. At one time in Western history, pumpkins were even recommended for removing freckles and curing snakebites!

The pumpkin's orange color symbolizes strength and endurance. It also symbolizes the autumn of the year as well as the fruitful closure of the day, the color of the sunset. The pumpkin's shape represents fullness, abundance and great potential as it hides the seeds within which will sprout in their appropriate time.

PUMPKIN SELECTION AND USE

1. Pick a smooth skinned pumpkin free of cracks and blemishes, which can cause premature deterioration. Choose a pumpkin that is heavy for its size. The fresher the pumpkin, the more likely it is to have an intact stem.
2. Once a pumpkin is cut open it should be wrapped, placed in the refrigerator and cooked within 5 days. Cooked pumpkin may be frozen for up to six months.
3. Try cutting off the bottom of the pumpkin, rather than the top, to remove seeds. This will allow the pumpkin to sit level and after carving you can easily place it on top of a candle.
4. If you're preparing your own pumpkin puree, one pound of raw, untrimmed pumpkin yields about one cup of finished cooked puree.
5. The oven method is the easiest for cooking pumpkin. No need to peel, just halve or quarter, remove seeds, place cut side down on large cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for about an hour or until fork-tender. Peel and puree when cool.
6. . Let kids slosh through the pumpkin fibers in pursuit of slippery seeds. Do not wash the seeds as it dries them out. Place the seeds in a bowl and toss with melted butter (1 Tbs. per cup of seeds) or vegetable oil and a little salt (1/2 tsp. per cup of seeds) and/or Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, or chili powder (mild or hot). Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 375 F for 10-15 minutes or until crisp and golden. Place in a paper bag and shake to remove excess oil. Pour into a bowl and enjoy.

RECIPE

No fairy godmothers needed here! Use the heat of your oven to work magic on canned pumpkin, a few spices and sugar to turn plain pumpkin into a tasty autumn flavored spread for toast, pancakes, waffles, or biscuits. For ease and speed use canned pumpkin. If you are industrious enough to have your own homemade puree, you may need to increase the cooking time slightly to achieve the desired consistency. The double spicing layers fresh spices over the mellowed cooked spice flavors. Your kitchen will smell great!

Pumpkin Butter

Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 1 1/2 hours
Note: Great recipe for kids!

To start:

3 15-oz cans of 100% pumpkin (not pie mix)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
Pinch of salt

To finish:

1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
Pinch of cloves
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all ingredients in 3-quart casserole. (This is especially fun for kids to mix with clean hands - it's even better than squishing mud between your fingers and toes. Safe to taste and rinses right off.) Cover casserole with lid or aluminum foil and bake for one hour. Remove from oven and stir carefully with a large spoon. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and add the finishing spices, vinegar, and a little water if the mixture has gotten too thick for easy spreading. If necessary, use a little more vinegar, sugar, or spices to adjust the taste to your liking; best flavor will develop after a few days as spices continue to meld and mellow. Spoon into jars and refrigerate or into small plastic containers and freeze. Keeps for up to three weeks in the fridge or up to 6 months frozen. Makes 4 cups.

Nutritional information per 2 Tbsp. serving: Approximately 22 calories, 6 g carbohydrate, zero g fat and cholesterol, and 6 mg sodium.

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Cynde Margritz is the Mystic Chef. She is a holistic food writer, cooking instructor, and personal chef based in central Florida. Her unique perspective includes appreciating the origins of food, as well as its nutritional, energetic, and pleasurable aspects. Her specialty is empowering people to have fun creating the foods that nourish their body and soul.

Cynde's spiritual journey into food alchemy began with the miracle of an Easy Bake Oven (who knew the power of a light bulb?), took an off-planet turn researching how to grow food in space for NASA, and came back to her roots to develop tantalizing recipes for hungry Earth-bound humans.

Cynde is currently working on a cookbook with a personalized approach. It will blend the best of Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Mediterranean and French cooking. Her husband Marc and an Indigo Dog named Kasper taste test everything. Cynde offers cooking consultations with customized recipe packets and is looking for volunteers to participate as part of an extended test kitchen. Cynde may be contacted at 321/459-2108 or via email.