Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
30th October 2021
Apple-ween
I always enjoyed carving a pumpkin for Halloween – largely as my two pet pigs, Frank and Edna, would enjoy the results the week after. Over the years racking up old pumpkins at their field gate became as much as a tradition as Halloween itself. Sadly both pigs passed away earlier this year, so there will be no pumpkins at the cottage or the field gate this year.
So this year I have resorted to Plan B – spooky Shrunken Apple Heads. The shrunken heads, made from peeled, carved, and dried apples, are just as much fun to create as carving a pumpkin but quicker and easier. Apparently Granny Smiths are the apple of choice but I picked up a couple of ‘Discovery’ windfalls out of my garden, which seem to have been ‘fit for purpose’.
All you do is peel the apple and carve the flesh to resemble a skull. All my pumpkin carving stood me in good stead as my three apples turned out well first time but it might be as well to allow one or two for practice. I used cloves and hazelnuts for the eyes and grains of rice and more cloves for the teeth. You could have a look on the Internet, or in your store cupboard, for some other interesting options.
Then take half a lemon, dip it in salt and rub it over the apple, squeezing a bit as you go to get the juice into the crevices and cuts.
The instructions said to leave the carved apples in a warm, dry spot for several days, when the apple will shrink, and the features will distort. There’s not time to do that for tomorrow’s displays and anyway there’s nowhere warm enough to do that in my cottage, so I put them in the oven on a very low heat for the day. It has to be very low and keep an eye on them or you may end up with baked apples.
Insert a stick or small branch into the bottom of the head and place it in a vase to display them or simply sit them on a windowsill.
For Gourd’s Sake Be Responsible
I have read a lot about putting pumpkins out in your garden for wildlife to enjoy once Halloween is over but I’m not a huge fan unless it’s done properly. Birds will certainly enjoy pumpkin as it softens but so will squirrels so be warned, you could be creating a problem when you are feeding the birds later in the year. Always keep the pumpkins off the ground as whilst hedgehogs love the sweet flesh, they can’t digest the fibrous fruit. This can lead to all sorts of stomach problems.
And don’t just chuck your old pumpkins on the mountain thinking you are helping the wildlife either. Although they are technically safe for horses and ponies to eat, they don’t know when enough is enough either and if the world and his wife are disposing of their carved pumpkins at the same time then it could lead to all sorts of over-eating and poisoning problems.
Chickens love pumpkin flesh – especially when cooked – but again regulate the amount they are given.
The best thing to do with your old carved pumpkin (if you don’t know anyone with pigs), is to put them on a compost heap. If you haven’t got one, take them to your allotment and ask someone if they will put them on theirs.
So for Gourds-sake please be a Hallow-Queen and dispose of them responsibly.
Pumpkin To Talk About
Pumpkins are a winter squash in the Cucurbitacae family, with relatives including cucumbers and melons. When they were first discovered, by a French explorer, in 1580’s they were called large melons, which translates to ‘pepon’ in Latin. By the 17th century the word ‘pepon’ had morphed into pumpkin. Because they’re savoury, they are often called vegetables although they are technically fruit.
The original Jack-o’-Lanterns were made with turnips and potatoes by the Irish and large beets in the UK; they were lit with embers and candles to ward off the evil spirits that were thought to puncture the veil on Halloween. Pumpkins were eventually preferred as they were easier to carve.
From Pumpkin Patch to Plate
Every single part of a pumpkin is edible. Pumpkin skin can be used to make tasty snacks.
Scoop the seeds out of the cavity, rinse some of the pulp off, and spread them on a towel or kitchen paper to dry. Then mix with a little oil and salt and roast on a baking tray in the oven for about 20 minutes. You can use virtually any flavourings you like, from curry spices, herbs like dried thyme and rosemary, for hot treats use paprika and chilli flakes, or for a sweeter option use maple syrup and cinnamon.
As well as super soups, pumpkin flesh makes great hummus, and even burgers, and the pumpkin skin can be dehydrated in the oven (just cook low and slow) or in a dehydrator for great chips and crisps. The pumpkin leaves can be cooked like kale or spinach, but make sure you remove the spine of tiny thorns first and even the flowers can be stuffed with a soft cheese and baked or dipped in egg and deep fried. Little pumpkins also make great bowls to serve the pumpkin soup or curry in.
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