Greek pépōn denoted a variety of melon that was not eaten until it was fully ripe (the word was a noun use of the adjective pépōn ‘ripe’). Latin took it over as pépō, and passed it on to Old French as pepon. Through a series of vicissitudes this evolved via popon to early modern French pompon. This was borrowed into English in the 16th century, and soon altered to pompion; and in the 17th century the native diminutive suffix-kin was grafted on to it to produce pumpkin.
from Dictionary of Word Origins by John Ayto
We have two (not so) super markets in my small town ,they both had pumpkins but not much to choose from — the other store had only huge ones. So I came home with two rather small ones. Tomorrow I start experimenting — I have some cookie recipes that I'll alter. Later I hope to have the strength to make a pumpkin dinner.
I wrote a long comment at the library but it was lost! But I will try again because your pumpkin request reminded me of 1998 when we were living in Budapest and I was trying to make an American Thanksgiving dinner for some dear Hungarian friends. My daughter actually mailed me cans of libby pumpkin puree and cranberry sauce because such things, even as fresh produce, were very difficult to find there and then. (The postage was monstrous!) Libby (owned by Nestle) is the main US company which sells pureed pumpkin and their website (verybestbaking.com) has recipes for not only sweet and baked pumpkin dishes but also for pumpkin soup. The easiest way to deal with pumpkin is to put the whole uncut pumpkin into a 350degree F. oven for about an hour. After, let it cool and open it and remove the seeds and membranes. (The seeds can be cleaned and roasted for a snack.) Then remove the pulp and use it as you will. Or freeze some for later use.
SvaraRaderaThank you Kristi,
SvaraRaderaI wonder if there is a special department in cyberspace for lost mails, comments and documents - if so it must be rather full!
Postage is pretty grim all over the world I think. It is many years since you could send small gifts to friends just for the fun of sending gifts. Today the postage easily exceeds the value of the gift.
Margaretha