{stories and snapshots from my new york city life.}

11.30.2010

Last Pumpkin Standing

Tomorrow is December 1st, which means several things: 1) My rent is due. 2) It's the first night of Hanukkah and 3) It's the day when our favorite autumnal fruit (or is it a vegetable?) officially gets the heave-ho. Suddenly, we're too cool for pumpkin bisque, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pancakes. Citrus steps into the spotlight. You start tossing clementines in your kids' lunch bags and shoving halved grapefruits under the broiler. Before you know it you're serving pomegranate margaritas on New Year's.

I spotted these good-lookin' gourds at a farmstand in late October.

And invited this pretty pumpkin to come home with me to adorn my table throughout November.

And yet, as I pulled out the ornaments and twinkly lights yesterday, I knew it was time to retire my festive fall centerpiece. I admit, I had misgivings about slicing into this guy. I imagine it's the way farmers feel about raising a turkey or chicken before it becomes their family's dinner. Or maybe I'm just sappy and melodramatic.


But ultimately, it was the right thing to do. I made a popular Afghani dish called Pumpkin Kadu Bouranee, which is a really delicious vegetarian meal. It's basically stir-fried pumpkin mixed with a sweet tomato and ginger sauce and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream on top. I served it over basmati rice with cinnamon and toasted almonds and some whole wheat naan on the side. 

Pip, pip dear pumpkin. You had one helluva season.

19 comments:

  1. PS: I used brown sugar instead of white, and olive oil instead of corn. I have also made this recipe using butternut squash, which is equally tasty.

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  2. yumm, thats my favorite meal when i go to khyber pass. i've always wanted to try making it. i love it with some raisins.

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  3. haha i feel the same way. i tossed my pumpkin in the backyard yesterday, with a tiny hope that it will grow over the next year and make me more little pumpkins!

    that dish looks delicious!

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  4. Jenn, I saved our pumpkin seeds when me and my niece carved out our pumpkin this year. I washed them, dried them, sprinkled them with salt and then put them in the toaster oven. They got so dry :( Kind of not edible. Any suggestions? I know it's not "pumkin season" and all, but I'll file this for next year.

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  5. Sounds like a delicious way to use up that last pumpkin or two!

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  6. Sounds so comforting and looks delish- all those spices...yummmm

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  7. I'm gunna miss the pumpkins!

    Enter my holiday giveaway! for bakers twine and manila tags!

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  8. oh my that looks soo delicious! i have that very same pumpkin and i know that i am going to make tomorrow!!!! my mouth is watering..yum!

    xo,
    cb

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  9. I get sad about the pumpkins too! I love all pumpkin things, and will continue to use it through the holidays!!

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  10. the workout is killer and I guarantee you will love it :) let me know if you try it ;)

    xo Lynzy

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  11. It's tea time here, and once again you have me drooling all over my laptop!

    I'm not very good with experimenting with pumpkin recipes, but this looks yumtastic!
    x.o.x.o

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  12. I know its so hard to throw out the pumpkins-I felt like I just put them out. I actually just covered mine with glitter to incooporate them into my Christmas decor! I never thought about eating them!

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  13. Oh, poor little pumpkin. At least he met a delicious demise.

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  14. What a sweet little goodbye (for now). I just made a roasted pumpkin 'fondue'....and it was so hard to find the lovely sugar/Cinderella pumpkin for it.

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  15. These are my type of decorations...the ones that you can enjoy visually and also eat! I adore pumpkin so I'm sad to see pumpkin season recede. But thankfully I always have fondness for grapefruit. Bring the citrus on! Thank you for sharing. I hope you have a great day!

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  16. Aww, it's so sweet how attached you got to your pumpkin. There is something magical about the way they sustain the autumnal spirit. Here's to December!!

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  17. Aww, it died a noble death! I like how you had candy corn around your centerpiece. (The ice skating pic a few posts back is so cute!)

    xx Kara
    http://sprinklesinsprings.blogspot.com/

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  18. I'm a big time pumpkin/squash lover. love the way you decorate the table all November long. I started eating my fall decorations too :))))
    hope you're having a wonderful week

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