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Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: HappyHippy on October 27, 2012, 07:35:30 pm

Title: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: HappyHippy on October 27, 2012, 07:35:30 pm
I LOVE Halloween  :excited: ::) :innocent:

Today I have been playing working hard in the kitchen  ;) :innocent:

The pumpkin pie (although a little runny) tasted devine  :yum: I've failed so many times in the past to make it even halfway palatable, but today I roasted the pumpkin with maple syrup and spices (cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg) then pureed it (not the best idea if you've not got a blender - it takes ages) and mixed it with custard before putting it in the pie case - big dollop of cream on top  :yum: :yum: :yum:

Lanterns aren't quite finished yet, need a bit more work  ;) :innocent:
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Mammyshaz on October 27, 2012, 07:39:04 pm
I love your moon witch. That pie looks good  :yum:

I really will make a pie this year  :innocent: every year pumpkin sits in the fridge until it's dried to a crisp. Your piccie has kicked me to make one this year  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: luckylady on October 27, 2012, 07:51:29 pm
Mmmmmmm pumpkin pie  :yum: :yum: :yum: :yum: :yum:  love it.  Clever you with the carving too  :thumbsup: :trophy:
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Bionic on October 28, 2012, 07:45:45 am
Yes, that witch looks really good. 
I saw pumpkins yesterday but didn't buy one and then afterwards I read on here that chooks and ducks love them. Wished I had bought one now. We could have shared it with half for a pie and the rest for the birds. Still, perhaps they will be cheaper after halloween
Sally
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: bangbang on October 28, 2012, 07:50:53 am
Great pics HH, well done on your creations! :thumbsup:they look great!
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: SallyintNorth on October 28, 2012, 08:39:08 am
I saw pumpkins yesterday but didn't buy one and then afterwards I read on here that chooks and ducks love them. Wished I had bought one now. We could have shared it with half for a pie and the rest for the birds. Still, perhaps they will be cheaper after halloween
They will be, you can get them half price or less.  Don't give them all to the choox and pigs - roast pumpkin, and roast pumpkin soup, are two of my very favourite things to eat!  :yum:

But - isn't Halloween on Weds?  I know everyone was doing it last night (last non-school night before the end of the month?) but officially it's Oct 31st, isn't it?
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Bert on October 28, 2012, 08:52:36 am
Yes it is on 31st.  :thumbsup:  It's my Grandads birthday on Halloween.
Love your pumpkins Happy Hippy :thumbsup: . Best I've managed to do is make some toffee apples (but there not for sharing) :innocent: .
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: MAK on October 28, 2012, 08:57:19 am
I'm 54 but do not remember Halloween as a kid. A woman I worked with was a christian and arranged activities and a party for the village (Cambs) children to ensure that Halloween was not celebrated by the villages many kids - the village was known for its many low churches and chapels but ironically the area grew lots of pumpkins.

Its chrysantemum season here. Plants being sold en mass everywhere for All Saints Day when the dead are remembered with a plant.
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Victorian Farmer on October 28, 2012, 10:10:29 am
pumpkin day
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Bert on October 28, 2012, 10:44:44 am
Love the tarantula  :thumbsup: .
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Ina on October 28, 2012, 11:47:35 am
I think traditionally they make neep lanterns up here, it not being a pumpkin area... Anybody making one of those? Much harder to carve! (Neeps are swedes, btw...) I've never tried.


Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: HappyHippy on October 28, 2012, 12:11:44 pm
As kids it was always turnips we carved - it's really hard going with them  :-\ Pumpkins are just sooooo much easier  :D

I've seen some stunning designs and using not just the standard orange ones, but beautifully shaped and carved green ones, yellow ones - loads of 'em  :thumbsup: Some of them were so ornate I did a double take because I thought they were metal  ::)

I've been told pumpkins grow really well in a pile of dung, so given that I have a pile of dung I'm having a go next year - loads of different shapes, colours and sizes, maybe then there will be enough that my kids don't feel the need to squabble over them  :o ::)

Love the spider VF  ;D
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Ina on October 28, 2012, 12:19:40 pm
I've just got some seeds of a variety that's supposed to do quite well in Scotland - I've never yet managed to grow anything sizeable (or at least mature and edible!) up here. I'll try on a fresh compost heap and lots of shelter around it next year...
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: bangbang on October 28, 2012, 12:24:05 pm
Just got this sent to me on fb....the things parents do!
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: HappyHippy on October 28, 2012, 01:47:28 pm
 :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 28, 2012, 05:47:19 pm
I love pumpkin pie and pumpkin soup so I will be buying some after 31st when they are cheaper.  I don't do halloween but we will be out on 30th for my OH's birthday.

Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: ballingall on October 28, 2012, 06:54:52 pm
We always carved turnips when I was a child- pumpkins weren't as easy to come by. And we had a fruit and veg shop, so you'd think we could get them easily!


Beth
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: bangbang on October 28, 2012, 07:01:06 pm
It was neeps for me too for halloween! Supper most weekends during the winter months included neeps and carrots mashed together as our veg, yummy! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: little blue on October 28, 2012, 07:19:23 pm
our pumpkins this year...
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: bangbang on October 28, 2012, 07:39:42 pm
Superb!!!!!! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: MAK on October 29, 2012, 08:26:28 pm
We were at the Festival of the Pumpkin last weekend.
Have a look at these babes !
(http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7rsdAg18ByY/UI7k3eD5qSI/AAAAAAAACvg/g_MM6oS705g/s720/P1010009-1.JPG)(http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TDRgnLctBeY/UI7lmqdPXpI/AAAAAAAACvo/zii-dc1RHoE/s720/P1010013-1.JPG)
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Ina on October 30, 2012, 08:50:42 am
Where's that, MAK?

I remember a pumpkin festival in Germany - must have been about 10 years ago or so; don't know whether they still do it or whether it was a one-off. Great idea, though. Was a pity that a lot of the pumpkins were just "decoration" and were dumped afterwards.  >:(
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Bionic on October 30, 2012, 09:02:01 am
Wow, looks fantastic MAK
Sally
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: MAK on October 30, 2012, 12:35:48 pm
the pumpkin fete was in the Limousin ( department - La Creuse).
They sold small, medium and large pumpkins from stalls with men in clogs taking them to your car with their wheelbarrows and wearing clogs. The decorative ones ( all over the village) were probabley used by the people who sold shed loads of preserves chutney and jams. Yes jams ! very sweet combinations of pumpkin and orange, apple, apricot etc ).
There was musch free tasting that included the usual wine stalls BUT also a chap with a still fired up - Poire William was a 40% alcohol toxic pear drink being given away to the brave. hic
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: goosepimple on October 30, 2012, 12:41:55 pm
Brilliant!  You could live in one of those and I like the lady in the photo - her hair and glasses work beautifully with the background! Will have to show the kids these when they get home from school.  Shows you what a bit of sun can do to make things grow!  ;D
Title: Re: Today's offering to the pumpkin gods
Post by: Ina on October 30, 2012, 04:15:56 pm
Yes jams ! very sweet combinations of pumpkin and orange, apple, apricot etc ).

I used to make pumpkin and ginger jam a long time ago, when I was still living in Germany and actually managing to grow them! Pumpkin and apple (with some spice) was nice, too.