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!