Amish Pie Pumpkin (2024)

FAQs

What is an amish pumpkin? ›

A rare heirloom bred and cultivated by Amish farmers in the mountains of Maryland, USA. An impressive landrace with intrinsic genetic diversity. Some fruits are heart/acorn-shaped. Others tend towards the more traditional round. These traits were also observed by other growers.

Growing Instructions

As your plants grow, thin them to 3-4 plants per hill. These squash should be mature in about 90-105 days.

Pie pumpkins, also called sugar pumpkins, usually weigh 1 to 6 pounds. Their flesh is denser and sweeter that the bigger ones, which are called carving or jack-o'-lantern pumpkins. The biggies have a moister, softer interior with a bigger seed cavity, and the flesh tends to be stringier.

When shopping for pumpkins, look for the ones usually generically labeled “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins.” Some specific names are Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Ghost Rider, New England Pie Pumpkin, Lumina (which are white), Cinderella, and Fairy Tale.

Also called pie pumpkins or sweet pumpkins, sugar pumpkins are smaller, sweeter, and less fibrous, which makes them a great choice for cooking.

Cinderella pumpkins are best suited for cooked applications such as roasting, baking, and steaming. Their sweet flavor and creamy texture make them ideal for use in baked goods and desserts such as pies, bread, muffins, cookies, and cakes. They can also be pureed and used to make pumpkin ice cream.

General Information: Bred for sweet, deep orange interior with a buff-colored rind. Can be eaten fresh or canned.

Homegrown produce is often a staple and features vegetables such as corn, beets, peas, and more. Many Amish families compliment their meals with cabbage and potatoes, using sauerkraut–a type of pickled cabbage–as a staple in many dishes.

Start with the right variety of pumpkins, sugar pumpkins. Large pumpkins that we traditionally think of as jack-o-lanterns aren't ideal for pie as they are very stringy and have a lot of seeds. There really isn't very much “meat” to the larger pumpkins. Sugar pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, are sweeter.

You have to admit, 'pumpkin pie' has a better ring to it than 'squash pie. ' But, you may find (like Libby's did!) that squash, with its sweeter, fleshier, and creamier texture makes a better pie filling than most pumpkins. However, pie pumpkins have been developed specifically for eating.

Why is pumpkin pie not made with pumpkin? ›

The fact that squash is a suitable (if not preferred) ingredient in pumpkin pie shouldn't come as a complete surprise. After all, squash is earthy like a pumpkin, but also less stringy, sweeter, and more vibrant in color. Why call it pumpkin? Pumpkin pie, as we know it today, is a fairly recent invention.

1. Black Futsu – Like a color-changing chameleon, this rare Japanese variety is one of the most unique pumpkins you can grow. Starting out as a greenish-black wart covered fruit, 'Black Futsu' turns chestnut color when mature, but not before transitioning through a grayish-green, moldy-looking stage.

The pumpkins we eat, often labeled pie or sweet pumpkins, are smaller and less watery than the ones used for decorating. Heritage varieties that are good for cooking include Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Fairytale and Cinderella pumpkins. If you're making a pie, you'll need puree.

Baking a large batch of pies from a jack-o-lantern pumpkin can bring joy to your neighbors and family.

Carving pumpkins or Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins are typically thinner, easier to saw into and have less and more stringy guts on the inside; making them easier to clean while pie pumpkins, meant for baking, are usually smaller and more rounded. Pie pumpkins are used for cooking or baking and are also called sugar pumpkins.

Kabocha. A popular Japanese variety, the Kabocha has a rough but edible peel, and a round plump shape. It can be dark green or bright orange-red, and has firm, orange flesh. One of the sweetest varieties of pumpkin, its flavour has been compared to sweet potato, while its firm flesh holds together well in the oven.

Fairytale pumpkins are a large, flat member of the squash family (Cucurbitaceae) with a sweet, edible flesh that is perfect for cooking and baking. A winter squash, it has large, deep ribs, turns from dark green to orange-brown when ripe, and commonly grows up to 20 pounds or more.

For cooking, you'll want to use sugar pumpkins (also called pie or sweet pumpkins), which are small and round. Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which are more oblong and can look like a wheel of cheese, are also good to eat. Field pumpkin types are larger, have watery, stringy flesh, and are best for decorating.

Blue pumpkins are native to the Americas and are one of the rarest pumpkin colorings. The pumpkin's blue-grey, sometimes green, tone is a natural genetic trait developed through traditional crossbreeding and hybridization techniques. It is important to note that the pumpkins are not genetically modified.

In English, the word pumpkin is often used as a term of endearment. Other English words that people use to express their adoration for someone include babe, baby, beautiful, buddy, cupcake, cutie-pie, , dear, , honey, pet, princess, sugar, sweet pea, sweetie, or sweetie-pie.

Is Ghost pumpkin good to eat? ›

Thanks to their ghoulish appearance, white pumpkins are excellent for seasonal decorating, but they can also be enjoyed as food. White pumpkins and their seeds can be prepared just as you would orange pumpkins.

An heirloom varietal preserved by seed savers in Long Island, New York, its flavor is a cross between butternut squash and sweet potato, with a vegetal aroma akin to its melon and cucumber cousins.

Pulp. The pulp is part of the pumpkin fruit that we eat, and is often called the 'meat' of the pumpkin. This is what is used to cook soups, pies, bread, and other yummy treats!