Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween and Delicious Pumpkin Seeds

Yesterday was pumpkin carving day.  Just in time for Halloween!



I apologize for the crummy quality of the pictures, but here are our scary creations.




One of the pumpkins, you'll notice, is green striped.  This is a really neat pumpkin that we grew this year named "Kakai" pumpkin.  I tried this variety from Johnny's Seeds because it's listed as having a hull-less seed.  

  From Johnny's seed catalog:  

Kakai
(Cucurbita pepo)



Striped fruits, delicious "pumpkin nuts."

Eye-catching, medium-small, avg. 5-8 lb., black-striped pumpkins. After displaying the pumpkins next fall, you can scoop out the large, dark green, completely hull-less seeds, which are absolutely delicious roasted. Kakai is a variety of the Austrian type that yields the valuable green pumpkin seed oil that some European studies show promotes prostate health. Semi-bush, short-vine plants. Avg. yield: 2-3 fruits/plant. Order 2860T (Treated/film-coated), or 2860 (Untreated). Avg. 2,200 seeds/lb. Packet: 30 seeds.

  Days to Maturity or Bloom:   100

The pumpkin grows with a striking green and orange striped skin - lovely for carving. 


And the seeds truly are green.


They seeds are hull-less.  When roasted, the thin skin is crisp and easy to eat.  The flavor tastes deliciously pumpkin-y and the seeds seem to be meatier than other pumpkin seeds I've had.  I have a few more kakai pumpkins and plan to roast and save the seeds for future healthy snacks (and save some for next year's planting).  I haven't roasted the flesh yet, but I think the lovely orange color will yield a nice pumpkin puree.  

I will definitely grow this variety again and I'm already planning to include them in next year's CSA!     


Unfortunately, I think the kakai pumpkin may like to celebrate Halloween a bit too much!  This "drunken" one definitely overindulged!




Don't forget to hop over to Homestead Revival today!  You'll begin a lovely trip down the blogging rabbit hole!

1 comment:

  1. Hull-less, you say? Sold! I've had a terrible time for the past 3 years trying to grow pumpkins, because we love pumpkin, plus I'd love to have extra to feed the goats. Would love to have lots of seeds to roast as well. I'll be curious as to how you like the pumpkin itself for eating. I will definitely have to try Kakai next summer.

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