Holidays Post: The Jolly Squash

The pumpkin is a jolly squash. Its round, bulbous shape and bright coloring gives it an air of jocularity. It is an easy-going and sociable vegetable. The pumpkin, in my opinion, always seems to be heartily laughing.


You can't say these colorful assortment of squashes doesn't look jovial.
You'd just be lying to yourself.

It would be easy to mistake the pumpkin as an aloof, blustering, pompous fellow, who harrumphs in indignation when pulled from its patch. But then how would you explain the delightful and cheery taste of its innards? Baked, mashed, pureed or deep fried, the pumpkin is sweet and accommodating in flavor. It is everyone’s friend, the favorite uncle who comes barreling through the door during the holidays, arms full of unexpected gifts and surprises up his sleeves. The hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves are what we recognize as the first taste of the holiday season. When offered a pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin anything, no one can bring themselves to turn it down.

I'll just have a little of everything, thanks.

I’m sure these were my mother’s thoughts as she packed up a holiday care package to send to me in New York. It is my first holiday season away from home, and she probably meant to kindle holiday cheer with the inclusion of baking ingredients, cookie cutters, and family recipes. Of course a can of pumpkin puree would be included, to bake a pumpkin pie for myself and my sweetheart.

 

Mmmm...pie.

But lo and behold, there arose from amongst the baking goods a boisterous, jolly pumpkin laugh. Lining the bottom of the package was not one can, not two, not three, but six – SIX – cans of pumpkin puree!



Think of this...only doubled.

You are probably asking yourself now what I asked myself then. What do you do with six cans of pumpkin puree? It was not a whole pumpkin, so I couldn’t hollow out the jovial fellow and set his sweet inner lining aglow. (Pumpkin carving actually has quite the interesting history.) I couldn’t separate seeds from sticky tendrils for roasting. Although the traditional pumpkin pie brings seasonal joy whenever eaten, how many pies can a single household indulge in, holiday season or not?



   

I couldn't think of what to put here, so how about some pumpkin carvings?

You have to admit, as grotsque as these are, they're still really awesome!

My first thought was to do away with the holiday tradition of fruit cake, and instead present delectable pumpkin pie to friends and guests. But unlike fruit cake or cookies, pie does not keep very well, nor can it easily be transported. And while the fruit cake is a generally reviled fare of the holidays – poor thing – it has a longstanding relationship with social history that saves it from the fate of the tangerine.* The fruitcake and history are two snobbish social dandies sharing a brandy in the parlor, and the common, jovial pumpkin is not welcome in their prestigious company.

It looks jovial, but really, its silently judging you.
That's just the nature of fruit cake.

I decided the problem was not the abundance of pumpkin, but the limited mediums in which I was accustomed to eating it. And while I did eventually come to the disheartening conclusion that six cans of pumpkin is simply too much, the jolly squash and I enjoyed our time in the kitchen together.

The recipes which I used to dispense with the six cans were taken from my favorite food blog, For the Love of Cooking. This site serves me well, with delicious and healthy meals for every occasion. The final recipe was given to me by a friend, who serves it every Thanksgiving to her family. As always, the merry guffaw of this jolly squash brings cheers all around.

In case you have six cans of pumpkin puree taking their ease in your pantry, smiling with pleasant patience each time you look their way, consider one of these recipes, and have a happy holidays!

Happy Holidays from me to you!

(Recipes and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net)

Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Icing

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Pie

(how could I not include it?)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Pumpkin Muffins with Cranberries and Pecans

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Curry Soup



*The tangerine, along with nuts and fruits, was a traditional Christmas stocking stuffer from most European children, until the introduction of wrapped presents. I became familiar with this holiday tradition while living in the Czech Republic. In Slavic and Scandinavian holiday folktales, St. Nick would come through town with an angel and devil, who would deliver either treats - which included tangerines, rare in the winter - or rocks, depending on a child's behavior. Since the avaliability of certain food products in the West, even during the winter months, the tradition of providing children with these types of treats in their stockings has gone out of fashion.