Pumpkin Day
Oct 26
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Take a pound of Pompion, and slice it; an handful of Time, a little Rosemary, sweet Marjoram stripped off the stalks, chop them small; then take Cinamon, Nutmeg, Pepper, and a few Cloves, all beaten; also ten Eggs, and beat them all together, with as much Sugar as you shall think sufficient; then fry them like a Froise."
~ Gentlewoman’s Companion, written by Hannah Woolley, 1675
The world record for giant pumpkins comes from Germany! German grower Mathia Willemijn grew a pumpkin weighing 2,624.6 pounds in 2016.
The Pumpking Baker
Besides being the prince of gourds for jack-o-lantern carving, pumpkins were a staple food in the New World for thousands of years. Pumpkin seeds have been found throughout Mexico, South America, and the Eastern United States, as early as 5,500 B.C., dating pumpkins well before the emergence of maize.
Easy to cultivate and, with the thick shell and solid flesh, pumpkins could be dried and preserved, making them indispensable in helping Native Americans survive long, harsh winters.
Recognizing the value of the pumpkin, the first explorers of the New World brought pumpkins home with them to Europe and, around the mid-1500s, pumpkins were cultivated in England (pumpions), and France (pompons). Because medieval England had already been making “pyes”, or pastries, with both sweet and savory fillings for hundreds of years, pumpkin pie made its debut in an English cookbook, in 1675.
Pumpkin pies became fashionable in the early 19th century and today, the flavor of pumpkin pie spices is found in everything from coffee to perfumes.
Indulge your craving for baking with pumpkin baking by clicking the pumpkin roll to visit Sally's Baking Addiction, pumpkin style!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
