5 minute read
ABC in KMC: Once upon a pumpkin
by Gina Hutchins-Inman, 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Most of us associate pumpkins with colorful foliage, the arrival of autumn, Halloween celebrations and jack-o’-lanterns, or even delicious pumpkin-based dishes. And, most of us will have some sort of a “pumpkin pal” during the colorful season.
Nowadays, pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, from very small to enormous, round, orange or yellow, in the shape of large pears or tiny figures used for fall decorations. The world’s largest pumpkin weighed 2,749 pounds!
But, did you know that pumpkins have been around for thousands of years, but didn’t find their way across the seas to Europe until a few centuries ago?
Cucurbitaceae
Pumpkins belong to the Cucurbitaceae family and were among the first crops domesticated by indigenous peoples in what is now Mexico. Archaeological evidence places early pumpkin cultivation between 7,500 and 5,000 BC, with initial varieties being smaller and more bitter than today’s sweet orange types. Early Native Americans valued pumpkins for their nutrient-rich seeds and versatile flesh, roasting slices, drying and grinding the pulp into flour, and even weaving the dried rinds into mats or using hollowed shells as containers.
Pumpkins go abroad
European explorers in the late 15th century, most notably Columbus, encountered these New World gourds and carried seeds back home, maybe along with a friendly potato or a bright red tomato. While pumpkins struggled in cooler climates like England, they thrived in warmer parts of continental Europe. The name “pumpkin” evolved from the Greek pepon (“large melon”) through French “pompon” and English “pumpion,” eventually settling into the pumpkin of American colonies by the 17th century. Initially viewed as a curiosity, the orange and yellow lopsided spheres transitioned from garden ornaments to valued food crops as colonists experimented with cooking and animal feed.
No Halloween without pumpkins
The carving of jack-o’-lanterns stems from an Irish legend about “Stingy Jack,” who tricked the Devil and was condemned to roam with only a coal-lit turnip for light. In medieval Ireland and Scotland, people hollowed turnips or beets to ward off haunted souls during Samhain, the Celtic harvest festival marking the end of summer. When Irish immigrants arrived in North America, they found pumpkins more plentiful and easier to carve, bringing about the classic pumpkin jack-o’-lantern. Over time, Halloween absorbed these customs — costume-wearing to confuse spirits, bonfires, and later trick-or-treating, where children in disguise visited homes for treats or pranks.
Nutritious, delicious and auspicious?
Pumpkin’s mild sweetness and creamy texture make it ideal for both savory and sweet dishes throughout autumn. All-time favorites include:
Pumpkin soup: a silky starter spiced with nutmeg, cumin, or curry, finished with roasted pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Pumpkin pie: the Thanksgiving classic combining a rich spiced custard in a flaky pastry shell.
Pumpkin curry with chickpeas: a vegan main featuring coconut milk and Thai-style yellow curry paste.
Vegan pumpkin muffins: tender, plant-based muffins sweetened with canned pumpkin and warm spices.
Pumpkin desserts: over 30 recipes including cookies, cakes, cheesecakes, and hand pies to satisfy every pumpkin craving. For inspiration, visit: https://www.onceuponapumpkinrd.com/category/pumpkin-dinner/
Beyond these, pumpkin purée enriches breads, pancakes, hummus, lasagnas, and even smoothies. Roasted pumpkin seeds tossed in olive oil and sea salt make a nutritious snack, while pumpkin spice lattes and homemade creamers bring that signature flavor to your morning cup.
In Turkey, a sweet pumpkin candy is called kabak tatlısı, literally “pumpkin dessert.” It is made by coating peeled pumpkin pieces in sugar and letting them macerate — often overnight — so they release their juices. The pumpkin is then cooked or baked until tender and syrupy. It is traditionally served cold, garnished with tahini, clotted cream (kaymak), walnuts, or pistachios.
Germans also enjoy dishes with pumpkins, and aside from soup, some preserve pumpkins in jars as “Süß-sauer eingelegter Kürbis” (sweet-and-sour pickled pumpkin), which makes a tangy side dish or snack.
A popular variety is hokkaido, which originates from Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido. There it is called “kuri kabocha” in reference to its chestnut-like flavor. As it spread worldwide, cooks in the U.S. began calling it red kuri squash.
Hokkaido pumpkins show off a striking red-orange rind and a deep golden flesh. Unlike many winter squashes, their skin softens when cooked and can be eaten whole. The flesh offers a naturally sweet, nutty taste that caramelizes beautifully under heat and is ideal for pumpkin soup, without having to peel the skin.
Let’s go pumpkin picking
If you are interested in harvesting your own pumpkin, two sites near Kaiserslautern offer great opportunities. Sunshine Pumpkin Farm (Bauernhof Guhl) in Gerhardsbrunn lets you select and harvest your own pumpkin directly from the field and has a special event day on Oct. 12.
Hitscherhof in Maßweiler has a “Hofladen” where you can buy fresh produce, including pumpkins, and even try a variety of dishes made with pumpkins throughout the season. In addition, most farmers’ markets around the area also have a wide selection of pumpkins and pumpkin-based dishes to spice up the season.
Artistic pumpkins
The 2025 Pumpkin Exhibition at the Baroque Castle in Ludwigsburg (near Stuttgart) will take place until Nov. 2. This year’s theme is “Grand Cinema.” Visitors can look forward to a magical world with over 450,000 pumpkins depicting famous movie characters.
Last, but not least: If you still haven’t had enough of pumpkins, stop by the Gartenschau in Kaiserslautern and visit this year’s exhibition. It has over 45,000 pumpkins under the theme “fire.” A variety of pumpkins were used to give the figures their colorful appearance with colors ranging from white to classic orange decorative pumpkins to blue pumpkins.
Whatever you do, whether it’s carving, spicing up your roast, munching on a delicious cake, or sipping a pumpkin latte, enjoy your favorite pumpkin along with the colorful season!
