In a few hours it will officially be Autumn.  Time for pumpkin!

I do have to admit that I like my pumpkin – in soups, stews, pies, breads, cakes – you name it, I like it!  So…  It actually makes sense to buy a pumpkin, roast it and puree it.  For seven bucks I can get pumpkin for most of the year.

Contrary to popular belief, these strange pumpkins you may see in the grocery store are very edible.  The two most popular varieties are Cinderella and Fairytale.  Both are French heirloom pumpkins and both have a deep orange flesh and slightly-sweet taste.

Those big orange pumpkins you see are raised to be jack-o-lanterns.  They are edible – but barely.  They’re not going to make a decent pie or soup, so skip them for eating – they’re for cutting up and decorating.

Speaking of cutting up…

Here’s the inside of the pumpkin.  You need a big, sharp knife.

I cut it into wedges, scooped out the seeds, and placed them on sheet pans.  They went into a 350° oven for about an hour.  I didn’t salt, oil, or otherwise do anything to the pumpkin at all.  I was just looking for puree at this point.  The flavorings will come from whatever I decide to make.

They really filled the house with the smell of Fall.

When they completely cooled, I scraped the flesh into the food processor and smooshed away.  It took about six batches to get it all.

It made a huge bowl of puree that I will freeze tomorrow in about 2-cup portions.  Unfortunately, canning pumpkin is not recommended at home, otherwise I’d be filling Mason jars right now instead of typing.

Let’s see how long this lasts…..