A Sunday lunch with a difference!

Stuff this variety of pumpkin with a risotto and roast it. The combination of sweet and savoury flavours makes this a stunning meal to impress your guests.

‘Turk’s Turban’

Pumpkins for pilgrims The early settlers in America could have died from starvation without the pumpkin. Introduced to them by Native American people, the pilgrims stuffed pumpkins to make a more substantial meal for their families.

Pumpkins for pilgrims The early settlers in America could have died from starvation without the pumpkin. Introduced to them by Native

Pumpkins for pilgrims The early settlers in America could have died from starvation without the pumpkin. Introduced to them by Native

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A Halloween special, these pumpkins make great lanterns. They’re smaller than their mammoth cousins, but just as spooky!

Don’t throw away the seeds when you have carved the pumpkin face. Roast and sprinkle them with sugar for a treat with a difference for those cheeky ‘trick or treaters.’

‘Gold Fever’

‘Trick or treating’ began in the Middle Ages as a European custom known as ‘souling’. People from the lower classes sang songs and begged for ‘soul cakes’. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from purgatory.

‘souling’. People from the lower classes sang songs and begged for ‘soul cakes’. Each cake eaten would represent a soul

These giants are often entered into competitions. The heaviest recorded weight of this aptly named pumpkin was over 113kg, as heavy as a baby elephant!

The mammoth is perfect as a big Halloween lantern and the flesh is delicious cooked up into a sweet pumpkin pie.

‘Mammoth’

The largest pumpkin pie ever made was in Ohio, USA in 2010. It was over six metreswide, weighed 1,814kg and was cut into 5,000 slices!

The largest pumpkin pie ever made was in Ohio, USA in 2010. It was over six metreswide, weighed 1,814kg and was cut into wide, weighed 1,814kg and was cut into

This sweet pumpkin looks like a round butternut squash and smells like melon.

The flowers of this variety, like all pumpkins, squashes and courgettes, are edible and make colourful accompaniments to any meal.

Add a hint of the Mediterranean into your cooking. Fill each flower with ricotta cheese mixed with herbs, dip in batter, deep fry and enjoy with a lovely glass of bubbly.

‘Autumn Crown’

Food for bees The flowers of the pumpkin family are not just a floral treat for us, but provide bees with food too. In return the bees pollinate the plants, so are essential if we want good crops of squash, courgettes and cucumbers.

These handsome hooligans make unusual and colourful individual bowls for chilli, soup and stews.

Impress your friends on a cold winter’s day.

‘Hooligan’

The pattern on the skin of this variety resembles freckles. Pumpkins were once thought to be a cure for freckles and snake bites!

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These sunny miniature pumpkins are also called round courgettes and like courgettes have a delicate, buttery taste.

Chop them in half, top with goat’s cheese and bake. Serve with a generous helping of caramelised onion.

‘Summer Ball’

Courgettes are also known as zucchini. This name comes from the Italian word ‘zucchina’ which means ‘small pumpkin’.

Courgettes are also known as zucchini.

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This colourful variety is said to resemble the patterned costume of a harlequin.

These pumpkins make a show stopper meal for a dinner party. Try filling them with a delicious risotto!

‘High Sugar Harlequin’

There are countless varieties of pumpkins which come in many different shapes, sizes and colours, all of which originate from just a few different species.

‘High Sugar ‘High Sugar

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This summer beauty has a light buttery flavour. Perfect to brighten up any summer dish.

‘Lunar Eclipse’

Pumpkins may not help you see in the dark but they are good for your eyes! Packed with vitamin A and C, these vitamins are particularly good for eyesight and the immune system.

Ready for something sweet?

Add the puree of this lunar delight into a light batter for pumpkin cinnamon pancakes!

’Moonbeam’

To flavour 250ml of pancake batter add:

½ tsp ground cinnamon¼ tsp ground ginger100g pureed ‘Moonbeam’ squash

Mix together the ingredients, ladle into your hot pan, and serve with maple syrup or crème fraiche. Enjoy!

your hot pan, and serve

REC

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The size of a cricket ball, this gem squash is perfect for roasting.

Chop in half and pop into the oven and bake. Serve with a knob of butter. Deliciously simple.

‘Rolet’

Gem squash are very popular in South Africa. The common way of serving them is stuffed with creamed corn (sweet corn and cheese) and baked. Why not give it a try!

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Brighten up your BBQ feast by roasting these little gems.

Wrap in foil, add olive oil and pop onto the coals. Perfect on a summers day.

‘Sunbeam’

The word ‘barbecue’ derives from the language of the Taíno people of the Caribbean. It was translated into European languages as barbacoa. It translates as “sacred fire pit.”

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A miniature pumpkin for miniature hands!

Give the children a different dinner experience. These pumpkins are perfect as individual soup or stew bowls.

‘Baby Bear’

REC

IPE

Simply cook up onion, butter, stock and roasted pumpkin, pop into a blender to make it a smooth soup. Serve in your empty ‘Baby Bear’ pumpkins!

The taste of hazelnut and pepper, all you need to do is cut in half, add chopped mushrooms, cheese and roast. Enjoy!

‘Table Ace’

The ‘Table Ace’ is one of the sweetest pumpkins available so few flavours are needed.

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Dessert with a difference.

These pumpkins make perfect dessert bowls. Fill with spiced pumpkin ice cream for a magical end to you meal.

‘Fairy’

REC

IPE

Simply add 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and allspice to your homemade ice-cream mixture before freezing.

Serve in your empty ‘Fairy’ pumpkins and enjoy!

Remind you of anything?

This variety is popular in interior design, ideal as a canvas with a difference to create an artistic masterpiece on.

Particularly eerie as a Halloween lantern, but don’t forget about the inside! It has a light and buttery flavour, making it the perfect filling for pumpkin pie.

‘Snowman’

Instead of carving your pumpkin this year why not paint it instead? The skin of these pumpkins make a great canvas. Give it a try and let your imagination take over!

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This light green beauty has a very sweet, rich flavour.

Perfect for grilling and sautéing, it makes an ideal accompaniment for your steaks.

‘Crown Prince’

Pumpkins and princes have often been the inspiration for stories. Probably the most popular is Cinderella. The pumpkin ‘Rouge vif d’Etampes’, also known as the ‘Cinderella’ pumpkin was the inspiration for Cinderella’s coach.