Uses for pumpkin flesh this Halloween
Halloween is just around the corner – the only time of year when your local supermarket suddenly has a big stack of pumpkins for sale. The tradition of carving a pumpkin into a ‘Jack-o’-lantern’ at Halloween comes from English folklore. The story goes that carved pumpkins, with a light stood inside, were originally used to mimic mysterious lights seen over bogs and marshes at night, also known as ‘will-o’-the-wisps’. These days, pumpkins simply provide the opportunity for fun spooky craft projects – a way of decorating your house for Halloween.
Unfortunately, Halloween only lasts for one evening, but we have some ideas for your left over pumpkin flesh, that will make it last well past 31st October. Pumpkin can be used in many different recipes and drink concoctions, such as pumpkin pie, soup, curry, cake, bread, preserves and cocktails. If you’d like to turn the flesh of your carved pumpkin into something tasty, we have a great range of jars and bottles to store it in. Take a look at the pumpkin uses below, along with our pick of suitable containers.
Pumpkin recipes
Pumpkin jam
First, choose your jam jars – we suggest our 280ml hexagonal glass jam jars (available with a choice of rubber lined, coloured twist off lids). You’ll need to sterilise your jars before filling them.
Directions: put the pumpkin flesh in a bowl, cover it with sugar then leave it overnight; drain the juices off the pumpkin and bring it to the boil in a pan; add the pumpkin flesh to the pan, along with the rind (grated) and pulp (chopped) of a lemon; simmer for around 45minutes then pour the mixture into your jam jars.
Pumpkin smoothie
Smoothies look best in glass drinking jars – try our 500ml Quattro Stag jar with handle and gold lid. We recommend washing the jars before use.
Directions: turn the pumpkin into a puree by roasting it then blending it; put the puree in a freezer for a day or two; take the frozen pumpkin puree out of the freezer and soften it slightly by microwaving it for a minute; add the puree to a blender, along with sugar and cinnamon (to taste) then blend until it’s of a smoothie consistency. Pour it into drinking jars for serving.
Pumpkin beer
We sell a range of clear, amber and green glass beer bottles – you can’t go wrong with our 500ml amber glass beer bottle for bottling your tasty pumpkin beer.
Directions: brewing the perfect pumpkin beer is a lengthy process, you can find out how to do it here.