September 29, 2022. I don’t know of another seasonal food item that has created quite the frenzy as has the pumpkin. Or should we say the pumpkin spice? It’s everywhere and on business marquees that would normally not have pumpkin in their ads. But, for some reason, pumpkin spice has become quite the phenomena and for the next couple of months will be seen and heard far and wide. I don’t mind a few pumpkins for decoration this time of year, and I certainly enjoy my share of pumpkin pie around Thanksgiving, but I’m not sure I understand the fanfare related to the spice of it all. I’m not going to rain on anyone’s pumpkin parade, so we’ll carry on with a bit of background on the big orange gourd/squash relative and see what we can add to its growing popularity. One thing for sure, when we start seeing pumpkins coming out of the fields and finding their way to roadside stands and in the grocery stores, we know that autumn has arrived or is on its way. The pumpkin gets its name from the French word “pompion” and the Greek word “pepon” meaning “cooked by the sun.” The stringy flesh of the pumpkin can be used in many recipes and is often compatible with those calling for winter squash. Indigenous to the United States, the pumpkin’s origin is thought to have come from Native Americans who used it as a staple food item hundreds of years ago. Often associated with the traditional first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims, pumpkin has always been a popular holiday side-dish, whether as a dessert, soup, bread or pudding. By Sherrie Norris
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