We raised a couple of different kinds of pumpkins this year. One of them is called Jack-O-Lantern and is supposed to be used for carving and decorations. I was wondering if this pumpkin is good for pies and other recipes. Someone told me that it might be stringy and not good for cooking. I thought I would ask you all and find out before I try it and ruin a pie. Thanks so much!

-- Denise Priest (Okie_Doky@hotmail.com), September 12, 2000

Answers

There is a difference between these pumpkins and the smaller "pie pumpkins". However, I have had friends clean and cut up the "Jack-o- lantern" pumpkins and cook them and make pumpkin bread.

-- connie in NM (karrelandconnie@gateway.net), September 12, 2000.

There is an unbelievable difference between "sugar" or "pie" pumpkins and "jack-o-lantern' pumpkins. Once you have tried pie made from "pie" pumpkins, you will never want anything else. Very creamy and the flavor is out of this world. I raised alot of pie pumpkins this year and am eagerly awaiting the perfect pie. The other pumpkins are too stringy. Good Luck.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), September 12, 2000.

Sugar pumpkins are the best for pies, but don't throw out the jacks either. I bake them in the oven till they are soft, then scrape out the pulp and blend it in the blender with a little water. Then I throw the very smooth concoction in one of my many crock pots and let it simmer till the extra water is removed. It's a little extra work, but the flavor of the jacks is more pronounced, and after it's been creamed and dehydrated, they make great pies.

-- Julie (rjbk@together.net), September 12, 2000.

My mom used to make pies from the jacks - not as good as pies made with a pie pumpkin, but they were still mighty good eatin'.

-- Eric in TN (ems@nac.net), September 13, 2000.

In my limited opinion, only "sugar" or "New England pie" pumpkins make the best pies. However, ANY pumpkin can make a good pie if you spice and cook it properly. But realize this, most canned "pumpkin" is really canned squash. Try making your pumpkin pie from one of your larger squashes, such as hubbard. Or even a smaller one, such as sweet meat, kuri, tetsukabuto. Acorn and the smaller delicata aren't particularly good, but any "big" squash makes a geat pie. How about you other gardeners/growers? By the way, I am not the dessert cook! Maggie excels there, and I am not about to challenge. But I do grow the raw matewrials. Hope some of the rest of you check in here. Tracy? Martchas? Littlebit? Patty ? Come on guys! (Gals, if you don't get upset with me!) GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), September 15, 2000.

Tahatian squash is the very best for pies in our opinion. Also lumina and what I knew as old crookneck pumpkin (a squash) are good ones to use. We grew sugar pie this year but haven't tried it yet. Others we've tried haven't met our expectations, either not as sweet or too stringy, so we don't grow them again

-- sharon WT (wildflower@ekyol.com), September 19, 2000.