Pumpkin Time

October is always pumpkin time for us - not the big jack-o-lantern pumpkins - but the small sugar pumpkins that make for such great eating. Sugar pumpkins getting ripe on the vine also means our long-time dear friends, Alice and Jerry, fly up to see us from California and we spend an afternoon making our once-a-year pumpkin meal.

Before we got started on that, we ventured out to try and see the salmon run, but missed it by a few days once again. However, we did enjoy the walk to our favorite local salmon spawning creek. The birch trees sparkled against the fall sky overhead as we trekked on the trail to the creek and back out again.
Birch trees along the salmon creek

That afternoon we hollowed out our sugar pumpkins that Drew's father in-law, Andy, had grown and made our tradional pumpkin meal. The recipe is below for anyone who wants to try it. It originally came from Martha Stewart - about 10 years ago, although we've changed it a bit over the years.


Pumpkin meal ready to eat - just lift off the top

The week-end was not over yet, so the next day we were off to Tillicum Village on Blake Island in Puget Sound. It is an island devoted to Native Americans of this region and the life they lived centuries ago. We went to Seattle to get a ferry to the island. We were greeted on the island with hot steamed clams by members of a local tribe and then went in the Longhouse for a traditionally cooked salmon dinner cooked over a traditional alder fire. While dining we were treated to a performance which re-told some of the native history. Afterwards there was time to walk around the island before heading back to Seattle. We had the most beautiful fall day we had had all month , although it was quite cold. It was 36 when we got up that morning, but got into the 50's as the day went on. If you want to know more about Tillicum Village, here is a link: http://www.tillicumvillage.com/

View from Blake Island

Alice, John, and Jan sitting on drift wood on Blake Island

Pumpkin recipe:

Chicken Pot Pie in a Pumpkin
Serves 6
6 two-pound sugar pumpkins

9 ounces potatoes – peeled and cut into ½” pieces
6 tablespoons butter

8 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
2 teaspoons salt

8 ounces small green peas
1 teaspoon pepper

12 ounces button mushrooms
1 pound pearl onions

2½ cups chicken stock
5 tablespoons flour

4½ cups cooked chicken
1 cup milk

2 teaspoon each of thyme, parsley, sage, and basil
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice tops off pumpkins – set aside. Scoop out the seeds. Using pastry brush, brush insides of pumpkins with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Season insides of pumpkins with pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place pumpkins on a baking sheet. Cover with foil. Bake until tender – about 30 minutes.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Add pearl onions and set simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water. Peel onions and set aside.
Melt remaining butter in a large, high-sided skillet. Add potatoes and onions and cook until potatoes begin to turn golden. Add mushrooms, carrots and peas - cook 4 – 5 minutes more. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly 2 – 3 minutes. Stir in chicken stock, milk and remaining herbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and divide mixture among reserved pumpkin shells.
Place pumpkin tops back on the pumpkins. Bake about 45 minutes

Revised from original Martha Stewart recipe.