Gerry Berghold writes:

Our pumpkin article in the last BB News generated some interesting replies. As one of our staff said some time ago, "the only thing BB members like better than family history are articles about Burgenland ethnic food." We received a lot of comment concerning pumpkin.

Lehigh Valley Editor Bob Strauch writes:

I just saw an item in the February issue of Das Fenster that a company in Langenzersdorf (just north of Vienna) has started brewing a Kürbiskernbier/Pumpkin Seed Beer with the brand name CORE. It contains malt, pumpkin seeds, hops, yeast, and spring water.
www.core-beer.com/eng/welcome.html

Back to Gerry:

And don't forget Kürbiskernstrudel/Pumpkin seed strudel, which is a raised strudel with a sweetened filling of ground pumpkin seeds. Very similiar to walnut filling in taste, but not color (it's green). One of my singers makes this variety.

Gus Eckhart writes:

I like this soup that comes from my Grandson in Chicago, but we simplify it. We leave out most of the spices and the creams and just use condensed milk with a little flour added. I used my blender and really make a puree out of it then add the milk and let simmer for a few minutes. We have been enjoying soups like this all winter for lunch. This recipe can also be used to make soup from spinach and leek, cabbage, broccoli, or asparagus. Almost anything in root or leaf form will do. Try this sometime when you have stuff left in the fridge

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP

Ingredients - Spicy Pumpkin Soup:
  • 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 pound calabaza, Hubbard or butternut squash
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 ribs of celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 jalapeno chile peppers, seeds removed, chopped
  • 4 to 5 cups chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 1/2 cup half and half, light cream or heavy cream
(continued on page 2)
Ingredients - Spicy whipped cream garnish:
  • 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. coriander
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped chives or scallion
Preparation:
  1. Cut the rind off the squash and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Melt the butter in a big stockpot over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot and celery until they get soft, but don't brown them, for about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chiles and cook for another 1 minute.
  3. Add the squash, the bay leaves, the thyme and the parsley, and enough chicken stock that everything is covered. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes, or until the squash is very soft.
  4. Remove the bay leaves, and the thyme if you used fresh. Puree the soup in a blender. The longer you blend it for, the thinner it will end up being. I have a stick blender that works really well for this. I use it on its lowest setting, and I only blend it until the soup has a consistency like porridge, but you may like it to be more liquid. I like the "stick to your ribs" thickness.
  5. Add salt or pepper to your preference, and 1/2 cup of the cream.
  6. Now, we make the whipped cream: Beat the other 1/2 cup of cream with the coriander, cayenne and cumin.
Notes:

When you serve, ladle the soup into bowls and then drop a dollop of the spicy whipped cream on top. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making the whipped cream, you can just stir those ingredients into the soup after you blend it.

When I make this on Thanksgiving, I serve it fancy with the whipped cream on top, but when I pack up the leftovers, I just stir it all together. Enjoy!