Evening star., 1901-12-17
Table and Kitchen.
Pumpkin Pie Regarded as an Ameri-
can Speciality.
"Oh the pumpkins golden glory
Lights the burrows and the stubble,
And we're full of song and story
As our fancies boil and bubble,
And we sigh
Ger the attributes ennobling Of the
PUN n-kfn pfei


over other members of the gourd family is
generally acknowledged, and although 1t
is a vegetable that can be cultivated to
enormous size in both temperate and hot
climates, and is not peculiar, as species,
to this country alone, 1t is shown but scant
appreciation in other lands, the objection
to 1t as a culinary vegetable being that 1t
lacks flavor and has tendency to tough
ness. But the globes of gold'' which our
forefathers found growing in the Indian
corn fields, although they may not have
supplied such delectable food their
golden exterors promised, were certainly
a welcome adjunct to the spare list of such
accessories as fruits and relishes, which
the newcomers must have found a sad pri-
vation.
Is 1t a Cultivated Taste.
1t is quite possible that our forefathers,
accepting altered conditions heroically, cul-
tivated through necessity a taste for the
pumpkin. This being handed down like the
time e-honored traditions of those times, has
finally established the pumpkin prime
favorite and accepted companion to
that autocrat who rules Thanksgiving-tide
Mr. Gobbier.
The fact that this highly favored vege-
table is sometimes designated as "punl-
kin" does not dim it's .luster or detract
ts beaas daney pepean hs
sound, it still gilds OUR thoughts with gold
and fills spirits with the liveliest an
acipations of the glories Of Thanksgiving,
as we dream of the toothsome transition
from the golden seed to the golden bios
som and finally the golden pie. For the
genuine pumpkin pie must be a wheel of
gold and not dark brown mixture Of
spices, that SO effectually disguise the
pumpkin. one might well call it by any
name other than pumpkin pie and it would
bear as close resemblance.
When pumpkins are dear, and in spite
of their seeming such common, hardy
vegetable they rank among the delicacies
in the city market, the piemakers often
resort to squash and sweet potatoes and
produce what they privately term near
pumpkin pie. Both these vegetables may
be used for making very delicious pies, but
| they cannot satisfy that authoritative taste
for pumpkin which the true American
prides himself on inheritng from his CO.
lonial "forbears."
Other Uses for Pumpkin.
While the pumpkin takes kindly to a
considerable amount OF dressing up with
sugar and spice and such things NICE" it
| may also be enjoyed when served in a
more simple manner, and as the season
for the fresh vegetable is short, 1t is well
| to employ as many ways Of cooking it as
possible
The lovers of this vegetable need not
deny themselves their pumpkin pie as an
occasional treat, at any time unless 1t be
during the summer months, as they can
obtain canned pumpkin and pumpkin
| chips during most of the year: Canned
pumpkin is used almost entirely by hotels
| and professional pie makers.
Pumpkin Soup.
Take six pounds of pumpkin, pare off the
rind, cut in pieces and put into a deep
saucepan, cover with water. add a little
salt, cover and boil until tender tabout
twenty minutes); then squeeze out all the
water and rub through a colander. Scald
three pints of milk: add the strained pump
kin and let it boil up. Season with salt,
pepper and a very little sugar and serve
very hot. The pumpkin will absorb great
deal of milk and IL very dry three pints
may not be enough to make it the proper
consistency Of rich cream.
Baked Pumpkin.
Cut the pumpkin in large squares. but do
not peel. Place them in a shallow baking
pan with a little water; sprinkle very light
ly with sugar. cinnamon and dot with but
| ter. Bake until tender and serve from the
shell seasoned with salt.
Pumpkin Loaf.
Take a quart of stewed or baked pump
kin mashed fine, a teaspoonful each Of
salt and baking soda, one tablespoonful
sugar and three pints of white corn meal.
Mix all together while hot; steam four
hours, or steam three hours and bake one.
Eat hot with cream sweetened.
Pumpkin MarmaIade.
Take ripe, deep yellow pumpkins for this.
Pare and cut into large pieces; scrape out
the seeds and soft, stringy part; to every
pound allow one pound of sugar. one
orange and one lemon. Crate the pieces
Of pumpkin and put into preserving ket-
tie with the sugar, the grated rind Of the
orange and lemon and the strained juice.
r 4. ~lv,v -,
wooden paddle and skimming off any
scum that arises. Cook until smooth and
thick. Then pour into glasses and when
cold cover the same as Jelly.
Pumpkin Pie.
Take one quart of rich milk; add three
| well-beaten eggs and enough sieved stewed
or baked pumpkin to make thin mixture.
ct will thicken up wonderfully in baking).
Add sugar, salt and either ginger, nutmeg
or cinnamon to suit the taste All three
may be added If you like your pies highly
! seasoned. The quantity given will make
three pies
Pumpkin Frftters.
Take a small oval pumpkin; cut off both
ends and then cut in long square fingers.
! Lay the pieces on dish; sprinkle with
salt and let stand for ten minutes; shake
| them two or three times during the time.
Drain and wipe each piece dry and cover
well with -four. Fry them in same man
ner as French fried potatoes.
Pumpkin Chips.
Take a round field pumpkin in prime con-
dition. Slice, pare and take out the seeds.
| Then cut it into very thin oblong slices and
| as near same size as possible. Weigh the
chips and to each pound allow one pound
| OF granulated sugar and half a cup OF
strained lemon juice with the grated yell
| low rind. Place the chips and sugar in a
preserving kettle in layers Then pour the
| lemon juice over the chips; cover with
| plate and let stand until morning. Then
place over the fire and when it comes to
| boiling point place 1t where it will cook
very gently until the chips are transparent
| and tender. Take them UP carefully ana
| lay them on a platter to cool. When cold
| place in jars; heat the syrup to boiling and
! pour over the chips. When cold put them
away with your other preserved sweets.
CftrOn for Fruit Cake.
| Half pound OF citron Is quite sufficient
| for a rich fruit loaf. Either cut the citron
| in very thin slices about an inch long and
half an inch wide or in little straws an inch
i nd alo Of i,ob