The great pumpkin shortage

October 24, 1:34 PMHartford American Food ExaminerLisa Rohner

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Small pumpkin from a small crop
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An unusually rainy June may leave some Connecticut homes pumpkin-free this Thanksgiving. A lot of seeds simply didn't germinate, and those that did produced pumpkins that are much smaller than normal. The national pumpkin crop isn’t faring any better with 93,000 acres of pumpkins being compromised by bad weather this summer. The end result is that good jack-o-lantern sized pumpkins are difficult to find, and canned pumpkin may be a rare commodity on store shelves as we close in on the holidays.

If you absolutely must serve pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving, consider buying a fresh pumpkin now and making your own pie filling. A 5-pound pumpkin should supply you with enough pulp to make two 9-inch pies.

Pierce your pumpkin a few times around the top with a sharp knife. Put it on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about an hour and a half, or until you can easy cut through the pumpkin with a knife. Scoop out the pulp, set the seeds aside and put the pulp in a food processor to smooth the whole thing out.

Pumpkins will keep for 5 to 6 weeks if stored in a cool, dry place. But if you plan on using your pumpkin for outdoor decorating, just be sure to bring it inside when there’s a frost as the frost will promote decay.

PickYourOwn.org has a great list of pumpkin patches in Connecticut, and they also have detailed instructions for making your own pumpkin pie from scratch. Bon appetit!