A Brief Overview of the Pumpkin

Thoughts | Alex Whitwam

What do you think of when you think of a pumpkin?

The first things that come to mind are most likely Halloween (and the relevant Jack-O’-Lanterns), pumpkin spice everything, and pumpkin pie. Even if you don’t personally partake in these autumn traditions, it’s hard to ignore their popularity. But where did it all begin? How did we collectively decide that pumpkins deserve to represent this season? There’s no real equivalent in spring, summer, or winter—what’s seen as “the” seasonal food can be highly variable depending on local produce availability and personal preferences. Pumpkins truly stand apart from the pack.

The history of pumpkin varietals—which fall under the Cucurbita genus (as do many other squashes and gourds)—traces back to the early Americas. Cucurbita was first domesticated around 8,000-10,000 years ago in Mesoamerica, long before the other members of the “Three Sisters” group of crops were cultivated by numerous peoples indigenous to the Americas. This domestication was not an isolated event; it occurred independently multiple times over thousands of years, eventually leading to the diversity across and within the species we see today. 

What was so compelling about this gourd? A number of factors make squash an ideal plant for human growth and consumption. The planting of winter squash in the fall provides a source of food in times when very little is able to grow, and if given a decent amount of space, growing them is a relatively simple task. Squash are hardy, nutritious, filling, and can stay edible for months without going bad, another major benefit when food is scarce. Pumpkins happen to naturally produce cucurbitin, an amino acid capable of helping treat certain parasitic infections. And naturally, just like everything else on this planet, pumpkins have also been touted as a cure for cancer, though the technicalities of this are a lot more boring and difficult to implement in medicinal practices than the sexy headlines make it sound.

The Jack-O’-Lantern itself originates from an Irish legend of a trickster, shunned by both Heaven and Hell and fated to wander the earth with only a carved turnip to light his way. Turnips with candles inside became a symbol of protection against evil spirits in Ireland and Scotland—when people immigrated from these countries to the Americas, they introduced this tradition, though the vegetable of choice shifted to the more widely available (as well as larger and easier to carve) pumpkin. 

Over the years, pumpkin carving has become an art form, and pumpkin mania pervades every aspect of the fall season, despite pumpkins themselves being on the bland side (the flavour associated with pumpkins is really from the spice blend used to season them). However you feel about pumpkins themselves, they’re a cultural icon and a mainstay of the history of this continent, and that’s not going away anytime soon.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp chili powder (optional)

Directions

1. If using seeds left over from carving a pumpkin, rinse thoroughly and pull off pumpkin guts attached to seeds. Let dry overnight, removing any remaining guts afterwards.

2. Toss seeds with olive oil, salt, and chili powder until oil and seasoning is evenly distributed.

3. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

4. Bake at 325°F for 20-30 minutes, stopping halfway through to stir or shake seeds.