Pumpkin

Pumpkins are one of several squashes that were eaten as a staple food by the Native Americans at the time the colonists landed in America. The European settlers quickly learned to appreciate the numerous favorable attributes of this large, round, yellow to orange vegetable. One important consideration was that due to their protective shells, pumpkins kept fresh for several months in the cool climate of the Northeast. The colonists made beer and soup from the pumpkin flesh and toasted the seeds to enjoy as a snack. Even the shell made a convenient bowl—if only temporarily. Pumpkin pies were originally served at the settler’s second Thanksgiving feast and continue to be the traditional Thanksgiving dessert hundreds of years later. Pies are by far the most widely known and widely consumed sweet made from pumpkin; however, pumpkins are also used in quick breads and cookies and can be used to flavor ice cream, cheesecake, mousse, and the like for holiday menus.