A Paean to Pumpkins
by Cait Johnson

Shorter days and chillier nights getting you down? Feeling the economic crunch? Take heart—and a tip from Cinderella's fairy godmother—and get yourself to the nearest pumpkin patch. Pumpkins are in glorious season and their vivid color is a cheery pick-me-up. And while we may be collectively tightening our belts, the profligate pumpkin is a timely reminder of nature's generosity, offering lots of concentrated nutrition that is just what our bodies need this time of year.

There are so many uses for pumpkins besides the traditional jack o' lantern or the homely Thanksgiving pie: they add sensuous texture, earthy flavor, and gorgeous color to cream sauces, curries, pasta dishes, sandwich spreads, soups, stews, ravioli, salads, pancakes, breads and muffins, and of course pies and custards—and the seeds are nutritional powerhouses. Pumpkin flesh will also boost the beauty of yours, since it's rich in skin-saving alpha-hydroxy acids and anti-oxidants. So keep your larder full and your skin fresh and glowing: rather than heading for the store or the overpriced cosmetics counter, find the nearest patch and grab a pumpkin! Economical, tasty, and versatile, pumpkins are nature's answer to the privations of an uncertain economy and the approaching winter.

Pumpkin Varieties. While the large, colorful pumpkin we associate with Halloween has flesh perfectly acceptable for most recipes, the smaller "sugar" or "pie" pumpkins, as well as paler varieties, including whitish, bluish, and warty ones, are often the sweetest and most flavorful. Check out the Farmers' Market for heirloom pumpkins and other edibles from the squash and gourd families.

How to Cook a Pumpkin. It's easy as falling off the proverbial log, since you can boil, steam, or roast them. One fair-sized pumpkin yields a lot of meat, and you can freeze the cooked purée for the long winter. Here's my easy-as-pie technique: Cut a pumpkin in half (or in quarters, if it's really big) and lay the pieces cut-side-down on a piece of parchment or foil on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until flesh is fork-tender. Allow to cool, then remove stringy stuff and seeds (plop this lovely mess in a bowl to soak so you can easily separate the seeds to roast later), scrape the meat off the rind, and mash it. This purée may be used in countless ways: combine with mashed beans or cream cheese for a sandwich spread, add a dollop to any soup, sauce, or stew, or use to flavor quick breads and muffins. You can also pan-fry thin slices of raw pumpkin with maple syrup and butter or olive oil until lightly caramelized, and add to salads along with a handful of toasted walnuts.

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread clean pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with any of the many tasty possibilities: olive oil or butter, garlic, onion, or curry powder or chili seasoning, soy sauce, sea salt, or cinnamon and brown sugar. Roast for around 15 to 30 minutes, stirring a time or two, until nicely browned.

Pumpkin Sugar and Spice Scrub. This lusciously-scented skin treatment will help counteract cold-weather dryness, sloughing off old dead cells to reveal fresh new skin underneath, and nourishing your skin with pumpkin's unique blend of anti-oxidants, zinc, and beneficial alpha-hydroxy acids: In a bowl, mix together 1/2 cup puréed cooked or canned pumpkin, 1/2 cup brown sugar (a great exfoliant), and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (another gentle exfoliant: cinnamon is a mild antimicrobial with warming and astringent properties). Stand in your shower or tub and apply mixture with a damp washcloth, scrubbing very gently with circular motions. Rinse with warm water.