Never heard of a Cucurbita pepo? I hadn't either until recently (Wikipedia is a great thing). Cucurbita pepo is the genus and species for the common pumpkin, and there's no better time for pumpkins than the fall harvest and Thanksgiving. And pumpkins make a great addition to a power pantry as source of vitamins C and A, lutein and beta carotene.
Pumpkins are a variety of squash, thought to have originated in North America, possibly in Mexico, over 6000 years ago. Now, pumpkins are a common cultivar in the United States and Canada, as well as all around the world. With 33 common varieties grown in America there is every size and shape available for decoration, texture and of course, cooking.
As a winter squash, they are planted in warm weather (July in the US) and mature just in time for late fall enjoyment. The name comes from Greek and French roots (pepon and pompon) which morphed into pumpion and then pumpkin. Quite the linguistic trail...
We enjoy raw pumpkin seeds in our pantry, which are a good source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium and niacin. They are a great, nutrient-dense addition to salads, granolas and snack mixes.
For our Thanksgiving menu, I'm thinking of including a dairy-free pumpkin pudding... looking forward to trying a new recipe.
So dig into a seasonal favorite this month and next, and roast or steam or puree' some fresh pumpkin. Enjoy the smells and tastes of the harvest, and benefit from the great nutrition pumpkins offer.
By the Way
In the last 10 years, white pumpkins have grown in popularity. The 'Ghost', 'Baby Boo' and 'Lumina' are just a few. While everything inside these varieties is pretty much like any other pumpkin, the skins lack the beta carotene color found in common orange pumpkins.
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