Pumpkin

Pumpkins offer sweet, earthy flavors for desserts and mains.

Flavor

How to use it

Baking Friend. Pumpkin puree adds moisture, binding batters, and melds with spices in baking.

Savory Roasts. Roast pumpkin to caramelize sugars and soften fibers, creating a creamy base.

Common mistakes

• Unripe pumpkins lack sweetness.
• Failed moisture evaporation makes it watery.

What goes with pumpkin

• Nutmeg. Nutmeg's warm spiciness matches pumpkin's earthy sweetness.
• Sage. Sage's piney, earthy leaf balances pumpkin's sweetness, as in classic ravioli.
• Cinnamon. Cinmamon's warmth accentuates pumpkin's natural sweetness.
• Coconut Milk. Coconut milk's creamy fat softens pumpkin's earthy sweetness.
• Maple Syrup. Maple's caramel sweetness suits pumpkin's mild, earthy flesh.
• Pecan. Pecan's buttery crunch contrasts with pumpkin's soft earthy sweetness.
• Ricotta. Creamy ricotta tempers pumpkin's sweetness in fillings.
• Salt. Salt keeps pumpkin's sweetness from tasting flat and cloying.

Try tonight

• Bake pumpkin muffins with spices.
• Roast and blend into pumpkin soup.
• Use as ravioli filling.

Storage

Store whole in a cool, dry place; puree refrigerate for short term, freeze for longer.