Description
The pumpkin is a variety of winter squash, a member of the gourd family, and comes in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. The fruit grows on vines and is ready to be harvested in early autumn. Orange-skinned, round pumpkins are the most familiar varieties that fill pumpkin patches. These are better for carving and decoration than eating. Pie pumpkins and sugar pumpkins are the best choices for cooking.
Though the skin is not edible (a characteristic of winter squash), the sweet flesh inside the pumpkin and the fruit's seeds and blossoms are used in cooking. Pumpkins are generally easy to prepare, inexpensive, and they can be found in cuisines throughout the world.
