How easy is it to carve a pumpkin & add a face on it?    I've just been perusing some US sites for some free templates and fancy having a go & putting it in the garden, maybe if I make it scary enough it'll keep the Trick or Treaters away?

And any ideas what to do with all thwe pumpkin that I will scrap out?   Something that's edible, please!

Hi C

It's surprisingly easy to carve a pumpkin...I did it a couple of years ago for the first time (used a template ) and made a pretty good job of it considering I'm usually useless at that sort of thing....so much easier than the turnips we used to carve as children which took forever to do, usually laid waste to a couple of knives and, on occasion, left us with permanent scars in the process

You can make some soup with the flesh....just sweat off some onions and garlic, throw in the pumpkin, add some vegetable stock and boil gently for about 30 mins or so...you can spice it with some ground cumin (add with the onions) or add some red lentils or carrots if you like.  I'd whizz it up in a blender but that's just 'cos I prefer my soup without lumps

Oh I used to loooove Pumpkin Pie with loads of cinammon (it is a little bland...)
But a friend of mine once commented that pumpkin tasted like (I'll have to pm you) and thats put me off forever!
(it does!! )

Jules's recipe for soup sounds goooood. (make some corn bread to go with, hot from the oven with loads of butter Mmmmmm)

Ooo the soup does sound surprisingly tasty.  Lidl's were selling pumpkins at £1 so it could make me something tasty & something spooky!

Liv, I wonder if I'm going to regret asking.

Kitten photos anyone?

> Lidl's were selling pumpkins at £1

Oh think I'll have a go at some carving (the squashy seedy bits are verrrry messy though be warned)
I saw some squashed frilly pumpkins today at London bridge station's flower stall.
Anyone know what they are? are they Gourds??

(C.. I will wait and see if you like the Pumpkin before telling you...you may well regret asking)

Should have looked earlier - carving pumpkins is easier with the right tools. If you're looking at American sites with fancy templates you'll need a pumpkin carving kit or similar small tools. Trying to do intricate carving with a regular knife is hard. I used to do some spectacular ones in California -  I had short plaster columns I'd put them on and drape it all in cobwebs. I think American kids are less likely to toss them around and it's so dry I'd have them out for a couple weeks.

Carving a pumpkin is fun!  But to keep the trick or treaters away, doubt it.  Here anyways, if you have a pumpkin carved with a candle in it (looks amazing) then it means you have candy. 

To make clean up a bit easier, put a trash bag or newspaper under the pumpkin first, and put the messy insides on it.  If you have never touched the inside of a pumpkin, its a weird feeling!!!!!  But thats part of the fun!

You will need sharp tools, and it is best to get a pumpkin carving kit.  They are realitively cheap. 

I did one, one year with a springer spaniel on it, turned out fab!

Have fun!!!!

(wish I could find a way to put some photos up, for you too see some really cool pumpkin carvings!  But they are extrememly hard) 

> wish I could find a way to put some photos up, for you too see some really cool pumpkin carvings!  But they are extrememly hard) 

You can upload them to photobucket & then put the direct links in here to see the photos!

will do, I think you would find them amazing!!!

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg300/CrespinMinPin/Pumkpins/

If you go here, there are 5 pictures from emails I have gotten about cool pumpkn carvings.  You need to scroll down to the bottom of the page though, I dont understand why it isnt higher up on the page.  When you first go, it looks like nothing is there.  Scroll down, and see the pics!