Pumpkin: what is it?

Often confused with the pumpkin, the pumpkin is bulkier and more rounded. Once the foot of squash installed in the vegetable garden, its running stems take up space. Vegetablefall andwinter par excellence, take advantage of its tasty flesh to cook soups that heat up.

Pumpkin season

Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) is an annual vegetable that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family (Cucurbitaceae) which are also called squash. Originally from America, the pumpkin was introduced to Europe in the XVI^e century. The sowing is carried out in the spring and the harvest in fall. Allow about 5 months between starting Earth seeds and harvesting fruits. Pumpkins keep very well, for months on end, in a ventilated, cool, dry, bright room or not.

Round in shape, unlike the pumpkin which is more flattened, it is covered with an orange skin for most pumpkins. Its orange flesh is sweet and fine.

Nutritional qualities of pumpkin

You may not know it, but the flesh of the pumpkin is rich in vitamins A, C and B. It also contains magnesium, from trace elements and minerals. Very low in calories, up to 26 Cal per 100g, you can overdo pumpkin. Her color orange comes from the presence of a beta carotene raised, antioxidants important for the immune system.

Pumpkin varieties

Not to be confused with pumpkins, pumpkins are grown in different varieties, here are a few:

• ‘Kakaï’: fruit with green skin with orange streaks. Its orange flesh contains many seeds to snack on, once roasted;
• ‘Styriaca’: pumpkin with orange-yellow skin with streaks of green and its flesh is white;
• ‘De Touraine’: old variety which produces cylindrical dark green fruits with white streaks. Its flesh is cream colored. It has a decorative interest and not a taste;
• ‘Lady Godiva’: a small-build pumpkin with orange skin streaked with green and light orange flesh.

Preserving and cooking the pumpkin

Once the stem and foliage are dry, harvest can take place. With pruning shears, cut the stalk about 5-10 cm from the pumpkin and clean all soil residue well to ensure better conservation. Store them next to each other, without them touching. Preferably store them in a frost-free, ventilated, bright, cool room (between 10 and 15 ° C) and away from humidity.

Once the skin has been peeled, the pulp and seeds have been removed, cook the soft and sweet flesh of the pumpkin by preparing warming veloutés, cheese-cakes or cakes, lasagna or soufflés. Their seeds are used to prepare pumpkin seed oils.