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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Hot Topics Forum Photo Gallery Past Readers Polls Revels Etcetera Backpage O-Zone Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Online Games Movie Preview October 17, 2006 Pumpkins By Marian Betancourt The Associated Press In New Hampshire, pumpkins are the law. That's because a group of civic-minded elementary school pupils this year led a successful campaign to make all those orange orbs destined for pies and jack-o'-lanterns the official state fruit. Their inspiration? Ostensibly, to learn how bills become laws. But the Harrisville, N.H., children probably couldn't help but be a bit influenced by their state's many pumpkin festivals, including the mother-of-them-all in nearby Keene. That festival (held Oct. 21 this year), began in 1991 and typically attracts 50,000 visitors to see the sometimes record-setting number (28,592 in 2003) of carved pumpkins that line Main Street. But long before pumpkins were teaching children how to lobby lawmakers, the region's American Indians were teaching settlers how to eat them. And from those early efforts was born the beloved pumpkin pie. Pumpkins come in many shapes and sizes, but the smaller sugar or New England pie varieties are best suited for eating. Dan Dumont, executive chef at the Wentworth by the Sea resort in New Castle, N.H., likes to roast 2- to 3-pound sugar pumpkins, then puree the soft flesh and use it in gnocchi. To make pumpkin puree, Dumont advises selecting a 2- to 4-pound pumpkin with no soft spots (it should yield about 11/2 cups of mashed pumpkin). To prepare the pumpkin, cut it in half and remove the stringy fibers and seeds. The flesh then can be boiled or roasted. To boil, cut the pumpkin into chunks and place them in a pan. Cover the chunks with water, bring to a boil and cook until tender when pierced with a fork. To roast, place the pumpkin halves cut side down on an oiled baking sheet and roast for about 11/2 hours in a 350 F oven. Once the pumpkin is tender, remove the flesh and mash it with a potato masher. The puree will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator. It also freezes well. Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.