This season the accusations again reared their ugly heads. Canned pumpkin, it was said, is not really pumpkin. When I heard this scandalous accusation again this past holiday season my blood boiled. It took me back to my high school days when I heard this claim for the first time. Of course, back then I just shrugged and went about my business.
It may be a shocker to discover that the “pumpkin” in your autumn bread or Thanksgiving dessert is secretly squash… but when you’re digging into a velvety slice of pie (topped with a mountain of whipped cream), there’s probably no need to go out of your gourd over the difference.
Once the Civil War ended and Thanksgiving became more widely celebrated across America, pumpkin pie’s popularity spread too, helped in part by its inclusion in ever more cookbooks, newspapers, and women’s magazines.
Compared to other members of the gourd family, pumpkins — the standard orange sort we tend to picture at the mention of the word — have a lot more water in their flesh, more stringy fibers, and less natural sweetness, making them sadly inferior for baking.
Once European colonists came to America, they began growing pumpkins as a staple food crop too.
Since the 1970s, American farmers have prioritized bigger, sturdier pumpkins better suited for carving than cooking, so the standard pumpkin has become the large, smooth, orange one that comes to mind when we think “pumpkin patch.”
Historically, “Pumpkin” & “Squash” Were the Same ThingWhy were there two such different reactions over time? Mostly because over those thirty years there has been no growth or greater understanding of what pumpkins and squash are and are not! Simply put, historically the use of pumpkin or squash was interchangeable. Pumpkin originally came from a Greek word for melon and squash came from a phrase meaning, “to eat raw.” Both words were used for the exact same fruit and the plants they came from. So if these words were used interchangeably, why are they now used differently? This is a good question, and I have not been able to find historical sources that explain why some varieties are now called squash and some are now called pumpkin. The three major species of cultivated
So this year when you go out to plant some pumpkin for Halloween, don’t forget to plant some good squash for making your own pies. You won’t regret the experimentation and the fun you will have growing your own pie making material.
Whether you’re overseeding an existing lawn, thinking about establishing a new lawn or reseeding bare or thinning spots, it’s important to know what kind …
We’ve probably all seen it, and some of us might even be guilty of it from time to time. It can be the result …
Get instant access to all of our premium pasture seed products by entering your zip code into our exclusive Seed Selector!
Differences between Pumpkins and Squash & Favorites | Prairie Yard & Garden
FAQ
Can I substitute squash for pumpkin?
What’s the difference between pumpkin and squash pie?
Is squash equal to pumpkin?
Is Dickinson squash a pumpkin?
Is pumpkin pie filling the same as butternut squash?
No, pumpkin pie filling is not the same as butternut squash. While both are members of the same cucurbitaceae family, they are two very distinct varieties of squash. Pumpkins are larger, rounder, and have a brighter orange flesh, while butternut squash is smaller, longer, and has a lighter yellow flesh.
Are squash and pumpkin the same?
Pumpkin and squash both belong to the same plant family, Cucurbitaceae. The main difference between pumpkin and squash is that the pumpkin stem is hard and jagged, while the squash stem is light and hollow. In other words, a pumpkin is a type of squash but not all squash are pumpkins.
What is a pie pumpkin?
Pie pumpkins, as the name suggests, are a specific type of pumpkin variety that is highly favored for making delectable pumpkin pies. These pumpkins are smaller in size compared to jack-o’-lantern pumpkins and have a round shape with a smooth, deep orange skin.
Does squash have more calcium than pumpkin?
Squash is a high-calcium food with 58% higher calcium than pumpkin. Pumpkin has more magnesium than squash, while squash has 38 percent more potassium. Most people source enough of these vitamins and minerals from a variety of food they eat that it doesn’t particularly matter if you choose one over the other.