An older pumpkin won’t last as long – but would be ideal if you’re carving it the day or two before Halloween. Carving tools Stencil ideas Pick a pumpkin How to carve Carve like a pro Pumpkin recipes Like an eerie mist, the spooky season is descending. First, you must determine why you need a pumpkin. However, lighter-skinned pumpkins may not last as long after carving. Pumpkins come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Peel the pumpkin’s skin off where you want to carve a face. Carving pumpkins is a favorite Halloween tradition among all ages; however, with sharp knives and inexperienced carvers, this fun activity can quickly turn hazardous. Apply pressure: Flip the Here is a list of what you should look for when picking out a good pumpkin: 1. Start drawing out your design with simple lines. You could just grab whatever's at the grocery store, but you will find the selection at a pumpkin farm or a nursery far more robust than the junk pumpkins you’ll find sitting outside the Stop & Shop. Keep reading to find out what you should look for when you are searching at the pumpkin patch! The best way to check for this is to ask the farm stand employees. Jack O’Lantern Carving Tips. Pumpkin is also perfect for delicious, savory dishes: Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin, Slow-Cooker Chicken Stew with Pumpkin and Wild Rice, and Pumpkin Beer-Cheese Soup. Check the Stem. Avoid pumpkins with shells that … First things first, you’ve got to pick the right pumpkin(s)! It should sound hollow and feel sturdy. And never carry your pumpkin by just the stem! Bleach kills mold and bacteria and can prevent spoiling. Check Out These Eco-Friendly Alternatives. When picking a good pumpkin for carving, the trick is to find one that is sturdy, has a hollow sound to it, and a nice round base for displaying. Have a Good Handle A pumpkin must have a hard, dark green or black stem. While dings and dents may give a pumpkin character, they also invite pests and encourage rotting. Are you carving it? My wife usually does a few as well. When you select a pumpkin, keep an eye out for gouges or blemishes. Most of these pumpkins are also edible, though “Sugar Pie” pumpkins are usually the best for pumpkin pie, as the name implies. Determining how you plan on using the pumpkin will help you decide what type or size of pumpkin to pick. Hold the pumpkin’s stem and make sure it is attached and solid. Go choose and get a pumpkin Well hello, Captain Obvious! When you tap it, you should hear a hollow sound. Avoid picking it up by the stem though, as it can break off and make the pumpkin rot faster. A green stem indicates it was just harvested. Make a clean workspace to do the carving in, and trace or draft your design on the side of the pumpkin before … Pairing a wonderfully rhythmic read-aloud text with expressive retro illustrations, … Pick a pumpkin that you can carry back with you. If it’s hollow, it’s ripe. Many Halloween and Thanksgiving traditions involve the carving of jack-o'-lanterns, and some pumpkins are sturdier and work better when hollowed out for carving. Tap the pumpkin gently and listen for a slightly hollow sound. Want to know more about Josh Wolff? This is arguably the easiest step of the entire process, but does take a little bit of elbow grease. Pick a pumpkin with a firm, green stem. Lifting the pumpkin will also give you … Plus, many of these places understand the value of composting and will simply compost their unused produce, rather than throw it away like most supermarkets. Choose a pumpkin with a smooth, flat face, with shallow ridges and few of them. Luckily, you will realize that this knife can also perform other tasks in your kitchen. "You can free hand a very simple face — eyes, nose, mouth — especially if you're good at drawing. Of course, you want to pick a pumpkin that’s free from blemishes and soft spots, but that doesn’t mean your gourd of choice needs to be flawless. Precision Pumpkin Carving: Every year I carve at least a half dozen pumpkins. Despite what you’ve been told, pumpkins are not vegetables at all, but rather fruits. In fact, expert carvers recommend … Sketch it with a tool. For carving, Albert recommends a pumpkin that feels heavy for its size. Make sure you pick a good pumpkin. The pumpkin carving rookie might not realise that a lot of designs you see have been done using stencils, so put the Sharpie down Picasso. 1. The Halloween holiday inches ever more closely, and you might be looking for a way to supercharge the season with a classic activity that’s fun for all ages. But basically, you have to choose a good pumpkin gourd. 5. Our pumpkin patch features 60 varieties of pumpkins for you and your kiddos to choose from. Pumpkin carving is a fun Halloween tradition that's popular among both children and adults. You’ll want to choose a pumpkin that feels … Tis the season for pumpkin carving and when it comes to picking the right pumpkin, there are steps you can take to make sure you pick a winner! Pick it up and tap it: It should feel sturdy. BUY NOW Lakeland pumpkin carving kit, £9.99. These are often blue-green pumpkins, with deep sutures and a lovely, somewhat bumpy, texture. From pumpkin patch to smiling jack-o’-lantern, check out our favorite tips for keeping your carving sessions safe for all. If smaller children will be carrying the pumpkins, pick smaller one. Normally, having a pumpkin carving knife that is a multi-purpose is a good idea. You're going to want the walls of your pumpkin to be approximately 1"-3/4" thick. Don’t always pick a picture-perfect pumpkin. Pick it up and feel the weight. Most of these pumpkins are also edible, though “Sugar Pie” pumpkins are usually the best for pumpkin pie, as the name implies. Recently, we've been getting other friends and family on board, teaching them how to carve their own fantastic-looking pumpkins, using stencils and basic tools. Make sure to let it dry before carving. It’ll be a little harder to get a knife into it, but a thick rind makes a pumpkin last longer after it’s been carved,” he says. It’s a fun fall activity, yes, but selecting one to suit your purposes is not as elementary as it appears. There are many types of pumpkins out there, so how do you know which is right for you? A pumpkin with a green stem is more likely to last longer. First, knock on the pumpkin to see if it’s hollow; hollow means ripe. This gives the lid a place to rest when you replace it so it won't fall through. Scrapes, on the other hand, aren't as bad as wounds or soft spots when it comes to carving a pumpkin. Make sure the pumpkin has smooth skin and a good stem. For eating and for carving. Submerge the pumpkin in the solution, or fill a spray bottle with a few teaspoons of bleach to a quart of water. Some are sweeter than others and make for better things like pies or pasties, others are more hearty and are better for stews or bakes. With Halloween around the corner, you want a good pumpkin for carving. Check the coloring: Choose one that has consistent coloring throughout. Pick it up and tap it. Dry with paper towels and … There are huge ones, tiny ones, tall ones, stumpy ones, and bumpy ones. Once carved give it a bleach bath. 2. Try to select a fresh pumpkin and one that is free from blemishes so that it lasts as long as possible. Decorating it? How to Pick a Good Pumpkin. A staple activity of the spooky season is pumpkin carving. The Valley's #1 Hit Music Station - Allentown, Easton, Bethlehem, The Valley's #1 Hit Music Station - Allentown, Easton, Bethlehem, B104 Bridal Showcase / Online Registration. Sometimes the taller ones will work better for carving instead of the traditional wider pumpkins. Armed with a piping-hot cup of pumpkin coffee or a latte, it’s a great way to get into the spirit with family and friends. Pick a Pumpkin and Print Your Template Any pumpkin that catches your eye is fair game for carving, regardless of size, shape or color. Once that stem breaks off, the pumpkin will start to decay even faster. Fall means pumpkins! Whether you get your gourds from a local farm stand, a nursery, or a supermarket, finding the perfect pumpkin is one of the most important parts of the fall ritual, even if you aren’t "basic". A good pumpkin will have a slightly hollow sound when you tap it. Hold the pumpkin near your ear and tap on it to see if it sounds hollow. You should submerge your pumpkin in a bucket filled with water and around 2/3 cup of bleach for around 24 hours. 2. Think about the kind of design you want for your pumpkin. To carve your own pumpkin, you'll first need to purchase or pick one from a local farmer's market or pumpkin patch. They will usually be able to tell you which pumpkins are the best for carving and which will be best for cooking. When you pick up the pumpkin and tap on it listen for a hollow sound, that is the sound you want when you are looking for the best carving pumpkin. Vivid orange, ghostly white, or speckled green, might be just right. Use a large metal serving spoon or an ice cream scoop to scrape the insides. First, choose your pumpkin! If it’s soft, bruised, or mushy anywhere, it’s beginning to rot, and it’s not going to make it to Halloween. Follow the lines, carving beneath the line, digging out the feature. Don't just pick any pumpkin. “That means the rind is good and thick. The skin can help keep the carved pumpkin fresh for the holidays. 5. Another excellent pumpkin to consider for fall cooking and decorating is Cucurbita maxima. It absolutely matters where you get your pumpkins! If it's heavy, that’s a good sign. Do you plan to cook and eat the pumpkin? For example, cut a line for a mouth. But there are some tricks you’ll need to know to get your carving just right. Pumpkin picking isn’t an exact science either. The best carving pumpkins will sound hollow inside, so tapping on the outside of your pumpkin will help you determine if the one you’re looking at is a good carving pumpkin. Although it comes with a limited warranty, this will still get the job well done. He also shares a trick he once gleaned from a customer. Clean the surface and the interior with a spray bottle of bleach solution (one teaspoon of bleach per one quart of water). There are as many shapes and sizes of pumpkin as you can imagine and thus, your jack-o’-lantern can be any weird shape or size you want. Get in the spinetingling spirit with a spot of pumpkin carving and whip up … If you've never used fresh pumpkin before, you might be a little confused about where to start. Get their official bio, social pages & articles. Finally, check to be sure the bottom is flat, so that it doesn’t roll. The best way to check for this is to ask the farm stand employees. Here’s how to make the perfect jack-o’-lantern. Peel off that surface just as you would peel a carrot. Check for consistent coloring around the whole … Check that the stem is firm and secure, but never pick it up directly from the stem. 11 Vegan Thanksgiving Sides That Will Impress Everyone — Plus, Advice for the Holiday From Longtime Vegans, What the U.K.'s $2.1 Billion Farm Subsidy Redistribution Means for the Planet, A Plant-Based Diet May Reduce the Effects of the Coronavirus, Studies Show, Is Gum Made of Plastic? A good pumpkin is the first step into ensuring that your pumpkins not only last but will be good for carving. … Here are eight things you’ll want to have on hand to throw a great and successful Halloween pumpkin carving party. This last one only applies to people who choose to carve and/or display their pumpkins; those who plan to just eat them probably needn’t worry. Use a bleach solution (about 2 to 3 tablespoons of bleach to 3 gallons of cold water) to thoroughly clean the pumpkin. If you’re currently wearing your Ugg boots whilst sporting a comfy scarf and sipping from a Starbucks cup, you might be aware that it is, in fact, pumpkin season. Here are tips and tricks to pick the best pumpkin for carving. Tall and lean or short and fat. … Larger pumpkins tend to give you more visual impact and are easier to carve details onto, so you may want to choose one that’s at least 10-15 pounds. This pumpkin is excellent for pies and very attractive as well, though not good for carving. The ones you find at a farm will also likely be in better shape than those that have been piled on top of one another weeks before autumn even arrived. Look for bad spots: Try to choose a pumpkin without any scratches, bruises, or dark spots. "You need to make sure that your pumpkin doesn't have any open holes," says Rufener. To check for soft spots, feel around the pumpkin with your hands and press across the skin of the pumpkin with your fingers. Either way though, they are a type of produce, and like all produce, there are a few things to look for to determine if your pumpkin is fresh. Never carry your pumpkin by the stem. Next, check out the pumpkin. Pick it up and tap it. Pumpkin Carving Stencils. Odd-shaped pumpkins can have extra character which can make carving fun. Grab your pumpkin scoop or spoon and start scraping the heck out of the inside of your pumpkin. If you’re not sure what size to go for, a football-sized pumpkin is a good place to start. The greener the stem is, the longer it will last as well. Many farms grow different types of heirloom pumpkins which come in strange shapes, colors, sizes, and textures. Buying them from a farm also helps to support your local farmers, many of whom rely on this season to sell the bulk of their harvested crops. Secondly, pick the right size: a larger one means … They will usually be able to tell you which pumpkins are the best for carving and which will be best for cooking. Consider these tips to help you pick a carving pumpkin: The ideal carving pumpkin should have a shell that is hard enough to protect the pumpkin but still allows you to get a knife through it. When cutting out the lid, angle the knife at 45 degrees. Exaggerate the features. You'll be thankful for the nice, strong handle when you're lugging it back to the car. Carve pumpkins too early (and … Pumpkin Carving Tips . They can have deep ribs, bumpy skin, and mottled patterns. The lighter the pumpkin's skin, the softer the pumpkin will be, thus the easier to carve. Bring a sharp knife or pruner. those little arms will get tired, long before reaching the car. Pick a pumpkin from the patch. You don’t want a wobbly one. It’s always best to pick a healthy one: it should be free of cuts & bruises, has a consistent color all around, and ripe (if you knock on it, you should hear a hollow sound). If you pick up the pumpkin, and the stem bends and breaks, put it down. You want at least 12 inches tall if you plan to put a candle in it. Some crossbreeds have even been bred in recent years to have a rind that makes them more suited to detailed carving.

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