It's that time of year again, when farms and shops are overloaded with pumpkins and squash of all shapes and sizes. You can easily spend hours picking the perfect pumpkin (and that's actually part of the fun), but we've consulted a local pumpkin expert to ensure you choose the right one. Farmer Jas Sanghera of Don o Ray Farms gave us his tips to make pumpkin picking easy as (pumpkin) pie!
Jas recommends that you first decide on the right pumpkin for the job. A pumpkin that's perfect for a jack-o-lantern, or one that looks beautiful on your Thanksgiving table, isn't necessarily the right one to roast up for dinner.
For cooking:
Choose a pumpkin or squash that feels heavy for its size. This weighty feeling means there's a good ratio of vegetable flesh/pulp to skin, which means more deliciousness for you.
Make sure that the pumpkin or squash feels firm to the touch with no mushy spots, as that's how you know it's been freshly picked and not already rotting.
Pick the right size. An overly large pumpkin might be the quantity you're looking for, but might end up being a huge hassle to cut up and break down in your kitchen. Get a size that's easy enough for you to handle, and when breaking it down for cooking, be sure to use a sharp knife and be careful!
Experiment with varieties! There are so many beautiful kinds of squash available that it would be a shame to pick the same one over and over. Acorn, Delicata, Spaghetti , Butternut, Kabocha, Hubbard, Carnival, Turban, Ambercup and Sweet Dumpling are just a few names, and they're all delicious to eat. Farmer Jas encourages you to experiment, because you can't really go wrong!
For carving:
For jack-o-lanterns, pick a pumpkin that feels firm, with no soft spots, and has a sturdy stem. With these qualities, your pumpkin is sure to last you to Halloween and beyond. No one wants a pumpkin that rots before October 31st!
If you find a lot of quality pumpkins, you can get creative with shapes and sizes. Never forget that a pumpkin stem can also be a creepy jack-o-lantern nose, or that oddly shaped pumpkins can make for a little extra macabre Halloween character.
Embrace the season and go pumpkin crazy!
Whether you're picking a pumpkin for eating or for decorating, you're supporting our local farmers and enjoying some of the best that Okanagan fall has to offer. #TreatYoSelf to pumpkin season and enjoy the picking, posing, carving and eating with your friends and family!
Kelowna born and raised, Keddy Pavlik of TheTreatLife has been passionate about the local food scene basically since birth. If she's not in the kitchen, you can probably find her at the farmer's market or taking pictures of food. Photo Credit: Jordana Dickson.
