In response to Mary Pemberton's request regarding the use of canned
pumpkin as a substitute for pureed pumpkin in baking recipes....
My husband is a fanatic for things pumpkin-- one Halloween dinner
featured pumpkin quick bread, pumpkin soup (served in shell), roasted
pumpkin, and pumpkin pie-- only part of the menu, but you get the idea.
AFter many years of experimenting, we try whenever possible to use
good sweet cooking pumpkins fresh. The best ones tend to be a deep
burnished orange color, rather small. But worth checking if you have
a good relationship with your green grocer, for some of our most sugary
have been neither the smallest or the darkest....
We always fill the freezer with baked pureed pumpkin, in ziploc freezer
bags, for use throughout the year.
But in a pinch, canned pumpkin is VERY acceptable. Do take care that the
tin contains only pumpkin without sweeteners or other additives. In our
area of the U.S. I find the One Step brand most widely available. But I
do look for the Comstock brand, it seems a bit deeper and sweeter.
No need for guilt on this shortcut-- even the late eminent James Beard
gave canned pumpkin a thumbs up in his 1972 _American Cookery_ book:
"Makes a good hot puree and excellent pies."
--
Kathleen Hogan Knisely
khknisel@k12.oit.umass.edu