Stray Kitchen is our column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie is a champion of food produced in the UK and particularly in Yorkshire and the Harrogate district.
With their bright cheery appearance, pumpkins are guaranteed to make you smile even on the rainiest of dull autumnal days. But do you know the difference between the crown prince and the pie master pumpkins? If I am being perfectly honest, until I went to experience Yorkshire’s pumpkin patches myself, I didn’t! Turns out, the crown prince is a great eating pumpkin with plenty of weight, while the pie master is an American favourite, bright orange, sweet pumpkin that’s perfect for pies.
Having been in North Carolina “in the fall”, I can assure you that these are the people who really celebrate the pumpkin and all things Halloween. After all it is an original American festival. Bright orange, pale white, and yellow and green pumpkins garland their verandas like the prize offerings that they are. People really go to town with their elaborate displays, which are literally massive.
As a nation I think we are catching on, and although I am not a lover of pumpkin pie, I can see its charm. It’s the spice addition to the pumpkin I love. Last year I visited Farmer Copley’s farm shop near Pontefract, where there are over 130,000 pumpkins for you to pick and carve. I used some spices and classic Yorkshire ingredients to make a lovely pumpkin dhal – you can find the recipe here.
Steph with some enormous pumpkins, and her pumpkin dhal
The leathery skin takes some carving or peeling, but here are my tips for how to prepare a pumpkin:
- Use a serrated knife to saw off the base of the pumpkin so it sits flat on the chopping board.
- Carefully carve around the rounded edge to release the skin in a sawing motion, slowly and with intent.
- Once your pumpkin is peeled, slice in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
- The fleshy strands and pulp inside can be used, and make great soup and risotto.
- The seeds can be dried, spiced and toasted.
- Chop up roughly, brush with olive or local rapeseed oil, and roast in a hot oven.
- To intensify the flavour and to add more, drizzle with a little honey, a few knobs of butter and some sea salt. For a vegan alternative, add maple syrup and coconut oil.
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So where can we go to pick our own pumpkin locally, or a little further afield?
- Birchfield ice cream farm, Summerbridge
- Spilmans Family Farm, Sessay near Thirsk
- Farmer Copley’s Farm Shop and pumpkin festival, Pontefract
- Cedarbarn farm shop, Pickering – there’s even a children’s train to ride straight to the patch
- William’s Den adventure play centre, North Cave
Lets all get pumped for pumpkin! In the meantime, I’m going to dust off my broom!
Steph x
