Dateline: October 4, 2007

Tips offered on pumpkin selection 

AMARILLO – Selecting a jack-o-lantern is largely a matter of eye appeal and personal taste, but how do you select a pumpkin for the table?

Remember these tips from Dr. Russ Wallace, a Texas Cooperative Extension vegetable specialist based at Lubbock and a vegetable judge at the 2007 Tri-State Fair.

“Don’t pick a jack-o-lantern, or carving, pumpkin for baking,” Wallace said. “Jack-o-lantern varieties have tough, stringy flesh that is not as sweet. Stick with the smaller pie pumpkins, varieties such as Small Sugar or Triple Treat. They are less fibrous and have better taste and texture.

“Look for a pumpkin that is about eight inches in diameter, weighing two to six pounds. They will provide about one cup of baking puree per pound of pumpkin,” Wallace said.

“Select a pie pumpkin with good orange coloring that seems heavy for its size. It should be firm and blemish-free, with the stem still intact.”