The Great Pumpkin

In 1966, Bill Melendez produced and animated a Halloween special for the much-loved comic strip Peanuts. This special featured the adorable blanket-loving Linus on his quest to see the infamous “Great Pumpkin.” He spent the whole night waiting in the local pumpkin patch to prove that there was truth to the old legends. Unfortunately he was wrong about finding the Great Pumpkin, but he wasn’t entirely off-base with the joys of a pumpkin patch. 

For years now the pumpkin has been the most notable symbol of Halloween and the fall season. Its brightly coloured orange exterior adds a hint of autumn to any home decor, and around Oct. 31 its easy-to-carve shell is the perfect canvas for the much-enjoyed jack-o’-lantern creations. Not to mention, this nutritious and fun fruit is a culinary delight, perfect for any Thanksgiving table! 

Just as Linus did, the first step to gaining this exceptional fall addition is by visiting a pumpkin patch. Staying all night isn’t necessary in order to find the “greatest pumpkin” for you, but it’s a fun afternoon activity and the perfect opportunity to spend time with your family. 

Interested in visiting a pumpkin patch here in Ontario, but unsure of where to look? Lifestyle suggests the following farms: Brooks Farms in Mount Albert and Southbrook Farms in Richmond Hill offer not only pumpkins but also fun activities such as wagon rides, corn mazes and more. There is also Carl Laidlaw Orchards and Orchalaw Farms in Brampton, which offer a variety of different fruit picking including apples, squash and more. 

Once you have your pumpkins the real fun begins. Carving jack-o’-lanterns is a timeless Halloween tradition. Before you can even think of the designs you want to create, the first step always requires getting your hands a little dirty (unless of course you choose to go with a more modern method — but that’s coming later). 

For the “traditional” jack-o’-lantern to work, you need to start by scooping out all of the pumpkin’s insides — however, don’t throw these out. Instead, keep them in a container inside your fridge, as they will come in handy later. Once the inside of the pumpkin is as bare as possible, you can begin your masterpiece. 

There are two options you must consider before beginning to carve. These are: to keep with the traditional, and always in-style, “scary-faced” pumpkin, or to try something a little different this year and let your creative imagination take the reins. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to do this; both options are viable, and it just depends on your personal preferences. You can always look up different ideas online for inspiration. 

Once you’re finished your creation, place a small tea candle inside and voila, you have the perfect mood-setter for the upcoming Halloween night! 

A more “modern” approach to the classic jack-o’-lantern is to paint it instead. Painting a pumpkin is a fun and safe alternative to carving it. By painting the pumpkin you also allow more creativity to come into the project and your hard effort will last longer — uncarved, a pumpkin stays fresh for at least double the time. 

There are so many different ways you can paint your pumpkin. To start, though, take note of some basic steps and tools. When you’re picking your pumpkin make sure to look for one without any blemishes. Acrylic or 3D paint works the best, but before you begin you’re going to want to coat the whole pumpkin in multi-purpose sealer, and then let it dry. This helps make your pumpkin last longer. 

Once the sealant is dry, you may begin to paint — or you can trace the outline of your design with a dry erase marker first, to try and prevent any mistakes. Once you are finished and the pumpkin is dry, you should re-coat it with the multi-purpose sealer. Now you have a fun, safe and artistic design to make any porch look a little spooky. 

Now, back to the container sitting patiently in your fridge. Pumpkins are not only attractive decor but also a delicious way to celebrate the Thanskgiving festivities. The always-classic pumpkin pie is a fantastic way to complement the appetizing abundance of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce that this holiday has to offer. However, this year it’s time for the old to meet the new. 

Keeping with the Thanksgiving tradition of pumpkin desserts, a pumpkin cheesecake is an exquisite alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie. It’s a good way to spice up the mix and appease any cheesecake lover in your family! 

Stephanie Phillips’ double-layer pumpkin cheesecake on allrecipes.com is a Lifestyle staff favourite, and perfect for the cheesecake lover in all of us! 

Ingredients 

•       2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 

•       1/2 cup white sugar 

•       1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

•       2 eggs 

•       1/2 cup pumpkin puree 

•       1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

•       1 pinch ground cloves 

•       1 pinch ground nutmeg 

•       1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust 

•       1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C). 
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread onto bottom of crust; set aside. 
3. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust. 
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until centre is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving. 

The “Great Pumpkin” might not exist — but that shouldn’t stop you from having a great time with pumpkins this season. So get out there and enjoy, before Jack Frost comes knocking. • 

Photo by sxc / idea22