Pumpkins, Pumpkins It's Pumpkin Week

Pumpkin Lingo and Anatomy

I would recognize a pumpkin when I saw it. It is a squash that resembles a gourd, but it is bigger than most of the gourds we know. If you want to grow pumpkins or get to know them a little better, here are some terms to become familiar with.

The pumpkin has been studied and here are the findings. We already know that it is a nutritious fruit to eat. Loaded with antioxidants like beta carotene, pumpkin can stop the damaging effects of aging on our bodies.

But, what do we call all of the parts of a pumpkin? Here is an anatomy lesson. Pumpkins have a top and a bottom. The top is where the stem is and the bottom is the flat area on which the pumpkin sits. The sides are called the “face” of the pumpkin.

The stem is found on the top of the pumpkin. It is an umbilical cord of sorts that is used to feed the pumpkin from seed to full "pumpkinhood" when the link is severed. Holding a pumpkin by the stem can cause it to break off.

Some pumpkins in the patch have curly green “hair” around the leaves and the stem. It is not a fashion statement, but tendrils. Unlike jungle tendrils that grab you and cause a fright, these tendrils wind around vines to hold immature pumpkins in place.

Pumpkins are not flat but bumpy. These bumps are called ribs. The ribs give the pumpkin form and character.

Now let’s go inside the pumpkin. When the top is carved out, it becomes the lid. After a candle is inserted, the lid is replaced to harness the light.

What’s inside the pumpkin? Well, if the sides are the face, then the gooey stuff inside could be thought of as the brains. The stringy strands are removed from the inside along with the pumpkin seeds that are meshed in with them.

The strands are not thrown away just yet. When the carving is done, the seeds are separated from the strands and roasted. The open area is now a cavity.

The skin is the colored side of the pumpkin. The skin covers the rind and the “meat” of the pumpkin. Most pumpkin skins are orange but can be other colors.

The pulp is the “meat” of the pumpkin that we eat in recipes. It can be eaten raw or used as an ingredient. Now, that we’ve dissected the pumpkin, it is time to put him back together and create a Jack o’ Lantern or holiday centerpiece.