Autumn Pumpkin action in New Jersey

It would appear from the Pick Your Own Pumpkins signs every couple of miles or so along the highway, that October in New Jersey would not be complete without wandering into a field, tripping over the vines and hauling off several testaments to the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

Note that I used the plural. Because there's just no way that the NJ pumpkin glut could be cleared by each household just buying one pumpkin for its doorstep. No, around here you need clusters of the bloody things. Maybe a couple by the mailbox, along with a few smaller ones along the path to the front door, several on the doorstep itself and obviously a couple of handfuls of baby ones for table decorations.

And that's before we've even ventured into the world of pumpkin pie (truly one of the most revolting things I have eaten recently - imagine a slimey gloop tasting of nothing but allspice), pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cupcakes - for the love of all that is holy, what is wrong with chocolate?, pumpkin bread or pumpkin cheesecake.

I mean I get roasted pumpkin, pumpkin soup or even pumpkin risotto, but this mania for adding pumpkin puree to sweet food leaves me cold. Guess it's a cultural thing.

I shall leave you with some gen-u-wine New Jersey pumpkins, doing what they do best.
Being beautifully decorative.



Pictures taken by me at Delicious Orchards, Colts Neck, NJ