Pumpkin is a crop native to North America. The large orange vegetable is a member of the gourd family, which also includes the muskmelon, watermelon, and squash. Pumpkins are most commonly colored in orange but they are also varieties which are white, cream, yellow, and reddish. Pumpkins can get quite large with some weighing in at 800 pounds or more.

The pumpkins flesh has a mild, sweet flavor and the seeds which can be roasted are delicately nutty.

The best pumpkins are free of blemishes and heavy for their size. Make sure your pumpkin still has part of the stem. Store whole pumpkins at room temperature up to a month or refrigerate up to 3 months.

Pureed pumpkin is also available canned. Pumpkin may be prepared in almost any way suitable for winter squash. It's a good source of vitamin A.

Early Colonists found pumpkins to be quite versatile in baking, thus the creation of Pumpkin Pie. Today pumpkin recipes are vast from the original pies, to cakes, cookies, cheese cakes, to roasted pumpkin and even delicious hearty soups.