1. A poem from the 1600’s tells the role
pumpkins had in the European settlers’ diet:
For pottage and puddings and custards and pies
Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies,
We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon,
If it were not for pumpkins we should be undoon.”
Pilgrim verse, circa 1633
Pumpkins and squashes originated in North
and Central America where they were also first
cultivated by the Native Americans.
Pumpkins were an important part of their diet
and the whole plant was eaten – the fruit,
seeds and flowers were cooked, dried or stored.
Native Americans introduced pumpkins and
squashes to many of the early European
settlers, for whom it was a lifesaver. Pumpkins
store well for long periods and provided food
through the hard winters, which saved the
pilgrims from starvation.
Pumpkins were present at one of the first
Thanksgiving feasts and they still play a major
role in Thanksgiving celebrations today.
The origins of
pumpkin pie
Some ingredients used in the recipe are displayed in this bed:
Plant: vanilla orchid (Vanilla polylepsis), orange (Citrus sinensis),
nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), pumpkin (Cucurbita ‘Onion’)
In bowls: sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum),
ginger (Zingiber officinale), cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia)
Orange pumpkin pie
Ingredients
400g pumpkin purée
120g dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
120g double cream
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange peel
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
500g shortcrust pastry
Method
Bake as you
would any pie
Modern day pumpkin pie originated
from a mixture of eggs, sugar, milk
and honey all baked inside a pumpkin.
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2. Carving pumpkins at Halloween originates
with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.
Faces were carved in root vegetables such as
turnips and potatoes. People believed that
lighting a candle inside the carved vegetable
and leaving it on a window sill would keep
evil spirits away.
This tradition moved to America with the
arrival of European settlers who found that
pumpkins were easier to carve.
Pumpkin carving is now common throughout
Europe and increasingly, so is the use of
pumpkins and squashes in cooking.
A spooky
tradition
Some ingredients used in the recipe are displayed in this bed:
Plant: rice (Oryza sativa),tomato (Solanum lycopersicum),
paprika (Capsicum annuum), black pepper (Piper nigrum),
pumpkin (Cucurbita ‘Gold Medal‘)
In bowls: caraway (Carum carvi), oregano (Origanum vulgare),
parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Pumpkin goulash
Ingredients
1 large white onion
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 medium sized pumpkin
(approx 800g)
3 teaspoons of paprika
2 teaspoons of caraway seeds
2 teaspoons of oregano
1 tablespoon of tomato purée
1 can of plum tomatoes (400g)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper
There are many versions of stews in
Europe from ratatouille in France to
stroganoff in Russia. Here is one
from Hungary.
Method
Slow cook in a
large pan until the
pumpkin is soft.
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3. In South Africa, potjie translates as ‘small
pot food’. It is a stew cooked outside in a
three-legged, cast iron pot over an open fire.
The pot was, and still is, the perfect cooking
utensil for nomadic lifestyles in Africa. Meat
and vegetables, commonly pumpkin, could
be cooked together in one pot, making it
easier to serve more people.
Pumpkins are one of the few popular
vegetables in many South African communities,
where meat often makes up most of their diet.
A pot of
pumpkin
Some ingredients used in the recipe are displayed in this bed:
Plant: lemon (Citrus × limon), chilli (Capsicum annuum),
pumpkin (Cucurbita various gourds), nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)
pepper (Capsicum annuum)
In bowls: cloves (Syzygium aromaticum), cardamon
(Elettaria cardamomum), bay (Laurus nobilis)
Pumpkin potjie
Ingredients
500g chopped lamb
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 piece root ginger, peeled
and chopped
2 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 chilli, seeded and chopped
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 small piece lemon rind
500g – 1kg pumpkin,
peeled and sliced
Knobs of butter
50ml meat stock
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Method
Slow cook outside in
a cast iron pot, over
a fire (or you can use
a slow cooker!)

4. Pumpkins made their way to Japan in the
16th century with Portuguese traders. They
soon spread across Asia and are now a popular
vegetable in many different Asian cuisines.
The kabocha or Japanese pumpkin is sweet
and nutritious and helped save many
Japanese people from starvation after the
Second World War.
These pumpkins have a dark green skin and
the flesh is bright orange. When cooked
they have a rich chestnut flavour.
In Japan they are often made into tempura.
In Thailand they are commonly used in
desserts and in Korea this pumpkin is made
into a porridge called hobakjuk.
Eastern
pumpkins
Pumpkin tempura
Ingredients
150g pumpkin
100g cup of flour, sifted
1 teaspoon of corn starch
115ml cold water
60ml coconut milk
1 de-seeded chilli,
finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
Pinch of salt and pepper
Some ingredients used in the recipe are displayed in this bed:
Plant: chilli (Capsicum annuum), coconut (Cocos nucifera),
lime (Citrus hystrix), pumpkin (Cucurbita ‘Kabocha’)
In bowls: sesame (Sesamum indicum), paprika (Capsicum
annuum), black pepper (Piper nigrum)
Method
Slice pumpkin in 1cm
pieces. Mix wheat flour,
corn starch, cold water,
paprika, sesame seeds,
coconut and chilli.
Coat pumpkin pieces
in the mixture.
Fry each piece of
pumpkin for 1–2
minutes in oil.
Sprinkle salt and
pepper over the
tempura and serve.
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