Potimarron

September, 2009

Potimarron is a squash in the pumpkin family (cucurbit maxima).
It is dark orange.

The name derives from a cross between the French "Potiron" (pumpkin) and "Marron" (chestnut).
The flesh tastes exactly like that cross. It is more mealy than stringy and delicious as a vegetable or a pie.

The easiest way to use it is to cut it in half - be careful!
Then roast, cut-side-down, on a rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan.
Takes about an hour at 350 degrees F.

You can also microwave it.
When it is soft, scoop out the flesh.
I have been told the skin, which is fairly thin, is edible, but I haven't tried it.

2 potimarron ready to be prepared for cooking. Pumpkins ready to be carved for jack-o-lanterns.

Our favorite way to use them is as pie-filling.
This recipe is adapted from joyofbaking.com

Pumpkin Filling:

3 large eggs

2 cups fresh pumpkin puree

1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup (110 grams) light brown sugar (or 1/4 c brown sugar and 1/4 cup splenda)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or more)

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (and I also use nutmeg)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Bake at 375 for about an hour.

This is certainly a delicious way to get a serving or two of veggies!
I just put it into a buttered casserole pan to bake - no crust.

We also like the roasted (or microwaved) potimarron as a side-dish with butter and pepper and cinnamon.

The pumpkin seeds can be roasted, too, and they are better than most pumpkin seeds - more fleshy.

The seeds from our potimarron can also be saved to replant next year
or you can get them from Seed Savers Exchange.
If you plant them, make sure they are far, far away from any other cucurbit maximas
(buttercup, hubbard, and the giant pumpkins)
or you will not be able to save seeds - they will cross-pollinate and who knows what you will get!
Regular pumpkins are "pepo" and can be planted near potimarron.

Some of my other kitchen experiments:
You can click on these links to see them.
Altoids® copycat
Apple pie
Bean Soup
World's greatest Biscuits
Blueberry Buckle
Blooming Bread
Challah Bread
Dill Pickles
Elderflower Wine
Focaccia
No-Knead Bread
Peanut Butter
Potimarron squash pie
Raised Rich Rolls
Raisin Bread
Ravioli
Yorkshire Pudding or Popovers

This has been a spring and summer of getting around. 2005
You can see those pictures:
We're off to Maine for a week of pictures and lobster! Day 5
The New York State Fair - lots of chickens and other animals.
A search for Rexford Falls and finding the Sherburne Historic District.
Antique Firetrucks in Liverpool.
Balloons at the Spiedie Fest.
A trip to Utica to see Munson-Williams-Proctor Museum and Fountain Elms
We rented a canoe at Nathaniel Cole Park.
A visit to Hanford Mills and the Lumberjack Show
Hancock Shaker Village.
A trip to Pixley Falls and Delta Lake.
We watched them set up the Big Top at the Circus
We went to the Utica Zoo
Then we went to the Syracuse Zoo
Wickwire House in Cortland
A trip to babysit the grandkids
A visit to Boston to see a Red Sox Game
Drive through Edmeston area to see the animals
Ithaca Herbert F. Johnson museum trip
Skaneateles
And there are lots of pictures of our trip out west.

2006
travel to Texas
Texas Day 1 San Antonio to Pearsall
Texas Day 2 Pearsall to Laredo
Texas Day 3 Laredo to Brownsville
Texas Day 4 South Padre Island

Texas Signs amused us
More signs.

Art Museum at Vassar

Mid Atlantic: Longwood Gardens
Assateague
Longwood Fountains
Longwood Flowers
Winterthur
Winterthur Silver
Winterthur Children's Park

Old Stone Fort, Schoharie, NY
Cherry Valley, New York
CMOG Corning Museum of Glass -

Hot adventures
from other summers:

Chittenango Falls
Fort Stanwix
Carousels
2009
We made apple cider with an antique cider press.
Then Peri came for a visit.
Frankie came to visit.
Hubbardsville Mall is a destination.
Frankie and Grandpa enjoy a water fight.
New Years Day sundog.
A Balloon Chase is always fun.

2008
Frankie plays LaCrosse. And we see the second game.
The ballet recital features Peri!
Candy graduates with a BS/RN.

Gardens:
Then there was a new moth. (Eight spotted forester)
A hailstorm surprised us in June.
The daffodils are in bloom in April.
In May, it's tulips and bleeding heart. And pinks and purples.
And weeds!!
Tomatoes are ready to start.
And there are beans.
So are onions.

Spring finds us in Maryland and Delaware.
New Castle, Delaware, is a quaint river town. may not be published yet.
The flowers were lovely.
And so were the birds and other animals.
Longwood Gardens has opened it's Children's Indoor Garden with wonderful whimsical fountains.
Oh, my, there are orchids!

Fall trip to Vermont and New Hampshire.

2007
Our trip to Baltimore and Washington.
Baltimore people watching
Baltimore Architecture
Baltimore Orioles game
we're off to Washington, DC
Washington flowers are here
American Indian museum
Fireworks on the Fourth of July

Garden - heirloom tomatoes
Garden in June
We made Dill Pickles
And we picked blueberries and made blueberry buckle and cobbler.

We love the minimalist (NY Times) no-knead bread.

In July the daylilies are blooming

B-Mets game
A strange vine appeared
It's carrion flower - or Jacob's ladder.
We went to Meredith Dairy Days
Downy Woodpecker feeds its baby.

2