The days of just pumpkin pie are gone, now the seasonal squash is showing up in everything.
Fall is officially here and you know what that means? Pumpkin spice everything! Pumpkin seems to be a bit polarizing; people either love it or hate it. But there is no denying that in the last decade it has evolved from simply a pie at the Thanksgiving table to a booming industry of its own.
Speaking of pumpkin pie, whether or not it was actually included in the first Thanksgiving celebration is debated by many. Some say it wasn’t served until the second Thanksgiving. One thing is for sure, it was not made in the pie form that we know today. Early versions of the pie were made by hollowing out a squash and filling it with milk, honey and spices before baking.
Here is some fun pumpkin related trivia to help you get in the spirit of the season.
- 13% of Americans say pumpkin pie is their favorite, second to apple.
- It’s believed that the squash originated in Central America. Seeds from related plants were found in Mexico that dated back to 5500 B.C.
- In early folk medicine they were suggested as a way to get rid of freckles and a remedy for snake bites.
- A man named Stephen Clarke currently holds the Guinness World Record for fastest carving of a single pumpkin. On October 31, 2013 he carved a jack o’ lantern in 16.47 seconds.
- The largest pumpkin pie on record was made on September 25, 2010 and tipped the scales at a whopping 3,699 pounds.
- Pumpkin pie made in a crust first appeared in the 1796 cookbook American Cookery by Amelia Simmons.
If you’re in the mood for pumpkin pancakes, we highly recommend you come try ours at The Original Pancake House!