The Modern Victory Garden

I'm so thrilled with the results of my 3 Fairytale Pumpkins.  Though theywere a mixture of greens/browns/orange and yellow outside, after a week or soin the garage, we slaughtered them last weekend -- WOW.  I recommendFairytale!  The largest of the 'meat' pumpkins (I've since learned),bright orange fruit, almost canteloupe-y.  I baked 3/4 of it, then foodmilled it for freezing; (about 12 pies worth of 'pumpkin glop,' as one recipe Ifound put it) without addition, it's mildly sweet and definitelyflavorful.  The two 'exciting' developments from this slaughter:

1) after each sheet came out of the oven, I noticed a bit of liquidrun-off, that tasted darn good and honey-like.  I got the idea to strainthe puree and got 4 cups of apricot-colored liquid from 2 of thepumpkins.  I strained it again and decided there was no reason not to tryto make jelly from this delicious juice.  rapidly discovered there ARE norecipes for pumpkin jelly;  so I used "Blue Ribbon recipes"guidelines and input and took 4 cups liquid/4 cups sugar, 1/3 c. lemon juice,and after boiling 2 minutes I took 1 pint of this out (as syrup), then added 1pkg pectin, and called the rest 'jelly' (10 minute waterbath -- I used the 1/4c. 'sampler' jars).  It's delicious!  I'm going to submit it to WSUCoop Ext., see if I can get it 'approved.'

2) I made my grandmother's pickled pumpkin recipe.  Went onlineto confirm that, too, and discovered in the old days everyone must've pickledpumpkin!  The meat, not the rind -- it's actually a sweet/sour relish-typepreparation, 1" chunks.  A bit complicated, but beautiful, anddelicious.  A great addition to the cabinet!

Wow!  That  pumpkin jelly sounds really deliious.   How creative of you to think of it!   I am glad the pumpkins turned out so well for you Heidi.