Three Phunky Pumpkins
(Page 2 of 4)
October/November 2007
By William Woys Weaver
‘Marina di Chioggia’ is turban-shaped, with a unique blue-green skin that’s divided into ridges. Like ‘Galeux d’Eysines,’ it’s covered with sugar warts.
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The flesh is dark yellow-orange, very dense in texture and almost meaty, which is why it grills so well. The average weight of the fruit is about 10 pounds, and like the French variety, it has very vigorous vines. It will store for about six months.
As far as I’m concerned, this is the ultimate grilling pumpkin. All you need to do is cut it into slices like you would an apple, along the natural divisions in the skin. Brush it with olive oil; cook it on a grill until hot all the way through; then scatter sea salt and chopped rosemary over each slice (see photos in the Image Gallery). Eat it with your fingers: that’s the way the Venetians do it.
Iran
As pumpkins go in North America, ‘Iran’ is the newest kid on the block. I don’t think it has been available for more than five years, and it has been sold under a variety of names, the most common being ‘Iran.’ This is one of the most beautiful of the large, smooth-skinned heirloom varieties. Everyone who sees it comments that it looks painted, with splashes of green, gray, white and orange-red. It is an old variety in Iran, but so far its documented history has not surfaced. On the other hand, its uses are many and well-known if you talk to Iranians familiar with traditional cookery.
The thin skin hardens as it ages, so it’s a great storing pumpkin. It will keep for as long as eight months or even a year if you harvest it before the first frost and store it in a cool, dark, dry area. The flesh is a dull yellow, very dense and somewhat brittle in pumpkins that have been stored a long time. This has its advantages because it’s mealy when cooked, thus excellent for soups, and especially the stews for which Iranian cookery is famous. It tastes great pickled with sugar and garlic, and the seeds are highly valued as a toasted snack. Spread them out on a cookie sheet with a dash of sea salt, and bake at 350 degrees for five to eight minutes, watching carefully for signs of scorching. You’ll know when they’re done by the toasty aroma. (This goes for all pumpkin seeds.)
Because the flavor of the flesh hints of peanuts and basil, both figure prominently in Iranian recipes using this pumpkin.
Planting Pumpkins
Start seeds indoors in 4-inch pots, then move them outside after the threat of frost has passed. This precaution will help you avoid the common problem of mice, squirrels or moles eating the seeds when directly planted in hills. Plant your seedlings on large, well-fertilized hills 8 feet apart, about four to a hill. If you want them to grow quickly, cover the ground first with black plastic. The plastic will keep weeds at bay and discourage squash beetles, which tend to attack the base of the stems. Keep the plants well-watered and well-fertilized, and make sure they have enough room in the garden or lawn to sprawl about. All three varieties tend to produce fruits toward the end of the vines, which in the case of the Iranian pumpkin, might end up as far away as 16 to 20 feet from the hill. All three varieties ripen in about 100 days. They’re ready to pick as soon as the stems are dry and they sound hollow when tapped.
