THE GREAT PUMPKIN

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All in all, then, this food is certainly versatile enough to deserve a more prominent place in the contemporary North American kitchen. For one thing, pumpkin ranks among the richest of domestic produce nutritionally: A half-cup contains only 27 calories . . . but yields a whopping 2,500 units of vitamin A, and considerable quantities of B complex and C vitamins, too . . . along with generous amounts of phosphorus, calcium, and iron.

Interestingly enough, relatively few cooks today realize that pumpkin can be substituted in virtually any recipe calling for winter squash. (Botanically speaking, the pumpkin species — Cucurbita pepo — includes summer squash, too, but the "symbols of Halloween" themselves are closer in texture and flavor to, and therefore more appropriate alternates for, winter varieties.)

As a matter of fact, because pumpkin tends to take on the dominant flavors of whatever ingredients it's cooked with, you can use it as the basis for many different dishes . . . particularly those that are highly spiced. For example, next time you crave some banana nut bread and don't have any of the tropical fruit on hand, remember that "punkin" can save the day.

TO PICK A PUMPKIN

I hope I've convinced you to try to increase your use of this tasty, healthful vegetable, because early fall is the beginning of the season when fresh pumpkins are abundant ( and inexpensive). If you're growing your own, do wait till after the first frost . . . then cut the orbs from their vines, leaving about one inch of stem on each. But don't bring the harvest inside immediately. Instead, let the fruit "cure" in the field for two to three weeks (unless you're hit by an extended rainy spell . . . in which case you should get the golden globes under cover to prevent rot).

If you're buying a pumpkin, choose a specimen with a firm skin and stem. The small "sugar" varieties are best for cooking . . . but just about any size can be used in most dishes. There's no reason, for example, why you can't purchase a pumpkin of substantial girth to be carved into a jack-o'-lantern and then recycled, after Halloween, into a tasty meal or two.

TO PRESERVE A PUMPKIN

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