Jack O Lanterns

Jack-O-Lantern

The tradition of carving pumpkin dates back for many centuries. The people of Ireland and Scotland used to carve scary faces in to turnips and Potatoes. They did this to deter evil spirits from entering their homes. In England they sometime used large beets to Jack-o-Lanterns. When immigrating came to America, they brought this tradition with them but found a more suitable native fruit, the pumpkin.  

You might be surprised to learn that they are over 50 verities of pumpkins.  There is a lot of research done by university to attempt to improve the quality of the pumpkin for production. Some improvement to pumpkins are rot resistance. Another way breeding programs improved pumpkin quality was to strengthen the Handle or connection point of the vine to the pumpkin so they stay connected.

Selecting a pumpkin can be a challenge.  You always want to select a ripe pumpkin. Select a pumpkin that has no bruises or soft spots. These bruises or soft spots may be signs of the pumpkin starting to spoil. It may not last until you use the pumpkin. Store the pumpkins in a cool dry place where there is enough space between pumpkins to allow air to circulate.  This will help prevent bruising of the flesh.  On bad spot on a pumpkin can affect the others.   You never want to carry a pumpkin by the stem.  The stem can easily brake and you may wind up with a squash.   

When picking pumpkins to eat, you may be better off with smaller pie pumpkins. These pumpkins have better flavor and less water than really big pumpkins. Also, if you intend to eat you pumpkin it is best not to carve it. Decorating it with paint or stickers is a creative way to make you smaller pie pumpkins even more festive.

Carving jack o lanterns is a tradition for this time of the year.  When you are planning to carve with children please make  sure there is adult supervision.  For small children it may be better to allows them to decorate their pumpkins with stickers, paints or markers.  There are many creative ideas that can be done to decorate a pumpkin.  

When carving it is best to carve it the same day you intend to use it.  However you can carve a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover it in cling wrap .  Cover the lid and place it back in the pumpkin, makes sure there is a layer of plastic between the lid and the ledge.  Cover the whole pumpkin in plastic covering the carvings and place in the refrigerator.  Be sure not to freeze the pumpkin it will turn in to a mushy mess.  If you need to restore a shriveling pumpkin soak it for 2-6 hours .Be careful not to over soak it because the pumpkin can crack.  Vaseline or vegetable oil spread on the cult edges can help make you carving last longer be sealing in the moisture.  

There are many tools out there to help carve pumpkins. Many of them have safely feature to help prevent injuries. If you use a kitchen knife make sure it is very sharp. The pumpkin skins are very hard to get thought and adult help is needed. When cutting into the pumpkin to gut it try cutting it out on the bottom. A cut on the bottom can help the pumpkin sit securely on a surface. It is easier to take the insides out. You can make a tasty snack by roasting the seeds of the pumpkin. Scrap the edges so they are about 1 inch thick. Any thicker and it may be difficult to carve into, any thinner and the carving may loose its shape. Pumpkin carving is a lot of fun and can bring the whole family together. If you take safety precautions everyone can have a safe and fun holiday.

After you have finished make sure to save the seed and make a delicious snack. On my recipes page you can get a quick tried and true recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds.

Jack O Lanterns

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