Fall is the pumpkin’s time to shine. And we’re not just talking about Halloween and Jack O’ Lanterns. It seems like this is the time of year when everyone wants a taste of pumpkin. Of course, there’s pumpkin pie. There’s also pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes…the list goes on. You can also drink your pumpkin. Some of big coffee chains (you know who we’re talking about) are brewing pumpkin lattes. You also won’t have much trouble finding pumpkin beers and ales.
Pumpkin ice cream seems like a natural dessert fit for fall. Look no further than Praline’s seasonal flavor menu to find great pumpkin ice cream. If you have an ice cream maker and are looking for a delicious Thanksgiving dessert outside the usual pumpkin pie, there are plenty of easy recipes for pumpkin ice cream. You’ll need many ingredients you probably already have on hand for Thanksgiving. Start with the pumpkin. You can use an actual pie pumpkin, which tend to be smaller than Jack O’ Lantern-sized pumpkins (about 6 to 8 inches in diameter). If you want to shorten the process, you can find canned pumpkin filling at the grocery store. You’ll also need cream, half-and-half, sugar, ginger and nutmeg. Follow the specific recipe instructions. You’ll likely wind up combining the pumpkin filler with the other ingredients, then putting the mixture into the ice cream machine.
The history of pumpkin as food in America is almost as old as America itself. Early Native Americans used pumpkins as a food source. The Pilgrims would eventually do so as well. Pilgrims would cut off the top of a pumpkin and fill it with honey, eggs, cream and spices. Pilgrims would then put the top of the pumpkin back on and bury it in the hot ashes of a cooking fire. After cooking, the pumpkin and the contents inside were eaten like a custard. Nowadays it’s just easier to cook pumpkins using a microwave or an oven.