Friday, November 4, 2011

For Love of the Custard and the Art of the Splat


Okay, I'll give - it's now autumn, time to drag out the pictures 
of pumpkins and their kin. I took these photos a month ago 
when the weather was still warm and I was more 
interested in lemonade than in cider.

With Thanksgiving now about three weeks away, 
it's time to get my punkin' on, to get my supplies together for
pumpkin custard and squash soup. Last year this time, there was 
a nationwide shortage of pumpkin pulp; there was none to be found, 
the grocery shelves were bare, bereft of pumpkin.
 Along with everyone else who hadn't shopped well ahead
of the holiday, I had to do without my favorite
pumpkin delicacies.  I suffered from a severe 
lack of squash-based food. 


Not this year. The pumpkin, nutmeg, brown sugar, and vanilla
have been stockpiled, awaiting the eggs, cream and broth 
that will turn them into my favorite treats.


But while the men retire to the family room to watch 
football games, and the women participate in our annual crafts event,
 I will be eagerly awaiting the Discovery Channel
While the competition itself will be held this coming weekend at
Bridgeville, Delaware, the highlights and finals will be televised 
Thanksgiving evening. I am all a-tingle.

FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!

  

8 comments:

dive said...

A nationwide pumpkin shortage? Those guys in the video probably explain that one.
I love squash season. It coincides with wild mushroom and chestnuts here so risottos, soups and warming stews are the order of the day. I've already started, and have been cooking up a storm for the past couple of weeks. Yum!

lin said...

I love the photos AND the title--I want to be as creative as you are in my retirement--notice I am saying the dreaded word retirement.

Speedway said...

'Morning, Dive. Yep, if you hadn't bought your pulp or pumpkins early, you were outta luck. I got 2 cans of pulp last year, thinking more would be readily available. When I went back for more the shelves were empty, not to be restocked until just recently. Apparently, the drought in the main areas resulted in a shortage.

But I'm really looking forward to the sight of middle-aged men applying their engineering skills to punkin' tossing air cannons and trebuchets. One air cannon's shot went over 4,000 ft. I shake my head in dismay and grin at the same time.

Yeah, Lin, it may be gettin' to be that time. It's hard to if you still love your work but can't continue because of health reasons. But when the job becomes a chore for one reason or another and you still have your health,it's maybe just time to find something else. You got grandkids, knitting, painting - plenty of things to look forward to doing away from the job. There will be a new "career."

Robyn Martins said...

I had already forgotten about last year's pumpkin shortage. Whenever I saw a spare can on the store shelves, I snatched it up.

I have to watch that show!

Speedway said...

Hi, Scout! Yep, the shelf space assigned to pumpkin remained empty ALL YEAR until just recently.

Oh-oh-oh, here's more chunkin' footage:

http://youtu.be/7VrS5hhEgz0

It'll be on Thanksgiving night. (I wish we could get Dive to go)

dive said...

I still can't get over canned pumpkin. Canned? Where's the fun in that? Half the joy of eating squashes is the spectacular mess and destruction of getting into the damned things.

Speedway said...

How did I know you'd say that? Pumpkin would be OK if I knew which ones to buy - I don't know a sugar pumpkin from the Great One. I love butternut squash but have scared myself trying to cut and peel it, afraid of hitting an artery or losing a thumb. So... how do you accomplish it, Dive, without cutting yourself? Really, I want to know.

dive said...

I rarely eat pumpkin itself, but I adore the smaller squashes. There's no secret to it; just a large and very sharp Japanese cleaver wielded with axe-murderer's intent and a huge grin. Beats a can opener every time.