# Without Halloween and Thanksgiving, would anyone buy pumpkins? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741 "2003-10-31T22:36:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/21 "2003-11-02T00:15:59Z")
Pie for breakfast gets you over that post-holiday slump. Mmm, pumpkin pie… ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/22 "2003-11-02T01:44:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*Wow, it’s actually _refreshing_ to see a Canadian make a statement that ignores the Americans, instead of the other way around. \*\* Were you saying something? ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/23 "2003-11-02T02:13:44Z")
Pumpkin beer here. I just had some the other day and it was one of the greatest _alternately_ flavored beers I’ve ever had. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/24 "2003-11-02T04:44:41Z")
You want the truth? The truth is that sweet potatoes make better pumpkin pie than pumpkins do. I don’t even bother making pumpkin pumpkin pie anymore… ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/25 "2003-11-02T08:02:45Z")
If there was no old pumpkin in cans what would people give to food drives? PS Try making pumpkin cookies with icing. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/26 "2003-11-02T14:45:09Z")
Jack o’lantern type pumpkins, those big, relatively hollow squashes, don’t make very good pie. Too much work for so little return. Now, get yourself a Hubbard squash, either orange or the bluish-grey skinned varieties, and you’ve got something good to work with. They are kinda’ warty and misshapen, but solid fleshed, have a smaller seed cavity and a much better flavor. Hard to find though, but farmers’ markets this time of year will have them. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/27 "2003-11-02T15:47:56Z")
**quiltguy154** : You do realize there are such things as pie pumpkins, right? About 8-10" across with a shell about 2" thick. Much more “meat” on those suckers. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/28 "2003-11-02T16:20:59Z")
Pumpkin muffins are the best! I make mine with walnuts, cinnamon, substitute OJ for most of the oil, and a healthy doze of powdered ginger. They rock, if I must say so myself. And there’s a restaurant in my hometown that makes a kickass Caribbean curried pumpkin soup. I’d do just about anything for the recipe. Also, I like Baskin-Robbins’ Pumpkin Pie ice cream, but don’t you think Ben & Jerry’s would make one that really kicked butt? I always wondered why they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![smaft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@smaft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaft)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/29 "2003-11-02T16:34:58Z")
The Fremont neighborhood in Seattle, which houses a couple of breweries, holds an annual Oktoberfest. One of the more popular events is chainsaw pumpkin carving. They use quite a few pumpkins that way… ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/30 "2003-11-02T19:39:09Z")
There is such a thing as pumpkin icecream? No kidding. Does it have hunks of that stringy pumpking stuff in it, or does it just taste like it? ---
**Author:** ![blackhobyah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blackhobyah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackhobyah)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/31 "2003-11-02T23:21:35Z")
Roast pumpkin salad with green onions, basil and pine nuts; pumpkin soup with Thai spices and coconut milk; pumpkin soup with garlic, chilli and fresh coriander; vegetarian lasagna with eggplant, red capsicum and roasted pumpkin; frittata with pumpkin, sweet corn and coriander; green salad with toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and brown mustard seeds: Thai red curry with pumpkin and tofu; and not to forget that most famous of Australian recipes, pumpkin scones. And Australians don’t even do the Halloween thing, we just like pumpkin. Of course for most of these recipes you’re better off with something like a butternut pumpkin, although a slab of Queensland Blue will make good soup. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/32 "2003-11-02T23:25:49Z")
Oh, **Eva Luna** , thank you so much! The local place that used to do pumpkin ice cream is no more and I’ve been jonesing for it for ages now! I know there’s a Baskin Robbins nearby–I gotta give them a call! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/33 "2003-11-03T00:13:18Z")
I like pumpkin and I’m not even American! (I grow most of what I use though) Fantastic in winter soups or just as a vegetable (I cut it into boats like a melon, then roast it with the potatoes). Pumpkin pie is OK, but I’m always a little disappointed at how little pumpkin it really contains (all the recipes I’ve seen seem to be just a spiced egg tart with a little pumpkin mixed in). ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/34 "2003-11-03T01:00:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MikeS \* > \*\ ***quiltguy154** : You do realize there are such things as pie pumpkins, right? About 8-10" across with a shell about 2" thick. Much more “meat” on those suckers. \*\* I actually prefer sweetmeat squash for my pies… ---
**Author:** ![Not\_In\_Anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@Not\_In\_Anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_In_Anger)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/35 "2003-11-03T01:32:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*Second Monday in October. > Wow, it’s actually _refreshing_ to see a Canadian make a statement that ignores the Americans, instead of the other way around. > > I’m gonna go eat some maple leaf cookies and watch hockey. \*\* What on earth are “Americans?” ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/36 "2003-11-03T02:07:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lemur866 \* > \*\*You want the truth? The truth is that sweet potatoes make better pumpkin pie than pumpkins do. I don’t even bother making pumpkin pumpkin pie anymore… \*\* I’ll second that - sweet potato pie is what pumpkin pie SHOULD be. I used to live in the East Bay instead of Silicon Valley, and Uhuru House flogged pies outside the supermarkets for holiday fund raisers. I loved Uhuru House sweet potato pies. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/37 "2003-11-03T04:23:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blackhobyah \* > \*\*Roast pumpkin salad with green onions, basil and pine nuts; pumpkin soup with Thai spices and coconut milk; pumpkin soup with garlic, chilli and fresh coriander; vegetarian lasagna with eggplant, red capsicum and roasted pumpkin; frittata with pumpkin, sweet corn and coriander; green salad with toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and brown mustard seeds: Thai red curry with pumpkin and tofu; and not to forget that most famous of Australian recipes, pumpkin scones. > > And Australians don’t even do the Halloween thing, we just like pumpkin. Of course for most of these recipes you’re better off with something like a butternut pumpkin, although a slab of Queensland Blue will make good soup. \*\* You’re making me hungry! Any chance we could get you to share some recipes? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741/38 "2003-11-03T07:57:47Z")
We do eat pumpkins in China, you know(all year 'round). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-halloween-and-thanksgiving-would-anyone-buy-pumpkins/210741.md?page=1)