|
|
A pumpkin is a squash fruit, usually orange in color when ripe
(although there are also white, red, and gray varieties). Pumpkins
grow as a gourd from a trailing vine of the genus Cucurbita
Cucurbitaceae. Cultivated in North America, continental Europe,
India and some other countries, Cucurbita varieties include Curcurbita
pepo, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita mixta, or Cucurbita moschata — all
plants native to the Western hemisphere. The pumpkin varies greatly
in form, being sometimes nearly globular, but more generally oblong or
ovoid in shape. The rind is smooth and variable in colour. The larger
kinds acquire a weight of 40 to 80 lb (18 to 36 kg) but smaller
varieties are in vogue for garden culture. Pumpkins are a popular food,
with their insides commonly eaten cooked and served in dishes such as
pumpkin pie; the seeds can be roasted as a snack. Pumpkins are
traditionally used to carve Jack-o'-lanterns for use as part of
Halloween celebrations.
Botanically it is a fruit, referring to a certain plant part
which grows from a flower. However it is widely regarded as a
vegetable in culinary terms, referring to how it is eaten.
Butternut squash is called "butternut pumpkin" in Australia,
and "neck pumpkin" in parts of Pennsylvania where it is commonly
regarded as a pumpkin and used in similar ways to other pumpkin.
|
