Pumpkin and Squash Books

There is a strange sense of magic in this book. There are no fanciful illustrations or other-worldly story lines that have become so common in so much children's literature. Rather, it is a simple tale of a celebration on a farm in October, in which glowing pumpkins, squash, and gourds are set adrift in the ocean. Through this folk tale, we learn a simple and beautiful lesson about the life cycle of birth, death, and everything in between. It is a must-read for adults as well as children, and the feeling of the season is so strong that you can almost smell the apple cider and pumpkins in it's pages.

PUMPKINS AND SQUASH is colorfully illustrated and
nicely elaborated on the Pumpkins and Squash family.
The recipes are useful and tasty. I brought it to my
elementary classroom; the children enjoyed thumbing through the book on their own and listening to me
read and point out the photographs of various
squash and pumpkin. I love the book and have
recommended it to my colleagues.

I love this book -- sometimes I think it spends more time off the bookshelf being thumbed through than resting on it. Here you have practically everything you need to grow squashes - what the squashes are best used for, some history of the various varieties, selecting seeds, growing and harvesting tips, and (extremely useful!)commercial sources of most of the seeds(many of which you can find easily online), all nicely organized by which Cucurbita species they belong to. (The growing guide to gourds is for C. pepo gourds, not Lagenaria species, and so the title is certainly appropriate growing C. pepo gourds, of which there are many) And recipes too -- so useful! Goldman is extremely helpful in pointing out the virtues and flaws of each variety for eating (though she tries some I wouldn't dare -- brave woman). The photographs are so beautiful as to be absolutely seductive -- watch out, you too will be saying to yourself 'I must grow that pumpkin/squash/gourd/whatever'. Then you too will be seeking out the seed suppliers, tenderly planting your new seeds and now in late summer, seeing them beginning to mature, turning into the fruit promised in the gorgeous photographs, murmur to yourself 'You are so beautiful, Sucrine du Berry. And Winter Luxury, you are the most elegantly lovely pumpkin I have ever seen..."

The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds What a great book. Good information about the squash family and recipes that are to die for. She will introduce you to a new world of a great vegetable. This book will become a family heirloom.

At this time, this is the most comprehensive volume on the Cucurbita genus. A good personal narrative, coupled with sublime photography. My only quibbles are that none of the images show cut open fruit, to give a view of the flesh and cavity. Secondly, that quite a number of internationally known cultivars are not mentioned. Nevertheless, an absolute "must have" for pumpkin and squash devotee.

This book is beautiful to look at, has a great deal of interesting history, useful gardening information, and some good recipes. Also it is inspirational, makes you want to source the rarer seeds and get out there with the spade. I don't know how much of this information is readily available in America, but here in Britain, where growing squash still mostly means butternut or Jack o' Lantern, the book is a revelation.

Highly recommended

This is a very visually attractive book, with superb photographs, but this is not just for the coffee table. For the devotee who grows pumpkins, all the information needed is there, down to conditions and seed sources for an amazing selection of varieties. For the cook, there are some unusual recipes, but also the eating quality of each type of pumpkin. Essential,this. Some are delicious, others vile. Lots of historical and other info & stories too. Pumpkins are my passion. I grew them, I eat them and now I paint them. It was great to get this book and know there are other squash nutters out there.

I have enjoyed other cookbooks by Lou Seibert Pappas (Creme Brulee; Ice Cream & Sorbet; Coffee Cakes) so I ordered this without first checking it out in a book store. It did not diappoint.

The first several chapters provide very helpful background about choosing, storing and cooking squash as well as listing the types of squash (both winter and summer squash varieties).

Many of the recipes are novel and are delicious-sounding pairing of ingredients that I haven't seen in other cookbooks (and I have a lot). More than half of the recipes are accompanied by a beautiful full-page color photo. As a vegetarian, I found many recipes I want to try but the Entrees chapter also includes a nice selection of recipes for meat eaters (from chicken to lamb, pork to fish).

Chapters include Breads and Breakfast (rosemary-polenta pumpkin muffins, zucchini-golden raisin quick bread, pumpkin-orange waffles with hazelnut-maple sryup butter); Soups, Salads and Sides (butternut squash-pear bisque, roasted butternut squash polenta with fried sage, goat cheese-stuffed squash blossom and heirloom tomato salad); Entrees (five-spice pork tenderloin with pumpkin half-moons and red grapes, grilled chicken breasts stuffed with zucchini and goat cheese, chayote stuffed with lamb and pine nuts); and Desserts (cranberry-pecan pumpkin drop cookies, candied ginger-pumpkin creme brulee, pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust, caramel-glazed pumpkin date bars).

As you might expect, pumpkins are the most popular squash used throughout the book and appear in nearly half of the recipes. Other squashes featured include butternut, spaghetti, zucchini, chayote, kabocha, and acorn. Several recipes let you choose the winter or summer squash to use but, don't worry, there is a list from which to choose.

This would be a wonderful hostess gift in the fall if you are a guest for dinner or a weekend.

I purchased this book and had a few problems with the two recipes that I have tried so far . . -- the first was with the Vietnamese Chicken Curry.

This was a really good dish, except for adding the chicken before simmering the soup for 20 minutes and then continuing to cook until the pumpkin is cooked and the chicken is cooked through -- since the chicken is boneless it was done well before the soup was finished -- resulting in tough chicken. I think removing it after stir frying and then adding it back in toward the end of cooking the pumpkin would have helped it to stay tender.

The second problem was with the Pumpkin Cake -- this was a bit strange -- directions call for baking for 1 hour at 350 and then an additional 1 - 1 1/2 hours after turning the oven down to 300. I think it should read that you bake at 350 for one hour and turn the oven down to 300 to continue, if needed -- my cake was completely finished at the 1 hour mark.

These are the only 2 I have tried so far -- interesting cookbook, but I think I will preread each recipe ahead of time and use my own experiences with cooking to help fine tune.

Thanks --:-)

Where I live, butternut squash will be coming into the produce section. I'm eagerly waiting for it. Why? So I can roast seeds and toss them in a brown paper bag with homemade curry powder for that fourth Thursday in November.

I'd also like to try the pumpkin soup and risotto. Yum and what reads like the ultimate yum.

The selection of recipes in this gem are varied. Brava! I also have another book of Elsa's and find her style friendly and engaging. Elsa makes me want to get into the kitchen and make something. Another "Brava!"

I also recommend her Cool Smoothies: Juices and Cocktails and Smoothies and Shakes. Tasty-sounding recipes.

Did I convince you? :)

I love all fall fruits and vegetables, and I had to have this little book when I saw it.

There is a picture of each recipe you are making, the are glossy, mouth watering, and let me tell you, I am planning on making every single recipe in this book. There are only 30 or so, but each is written with sense and clarity, and the book would make a perfect present simply because it's so beautiful. Pumpkins aren't the only veggies used, there are also Butternuts and Squash recipes.

Some of my favorite things I made from it; Roasted Pumpkin Salad -to die for, crusty and charred pumpkin chunks, peppers, onions, lentils with lemon, oil and few other yummies. Chile pumpkin babycakes - sweet, spicy fried till golden for major crunch. Pumpkin Soup - warm with holiday written all over it. Spicy Butternut Curry - creamy, hot, melt in your mouth goodness.

This little charmer of a book also has cakes, pies, souffles, stuffed sugar pumpkins, Moroccan Tangine, Kabobs, seeds, chips and granola recipes, pumpkin gnocchi and risottos as well.

No cookie cutter recipes here. I love this book, and always look for ways to cook with it.

From the title you'd think your getting a book on how to grow squash for home use as food. "Winter Squahs & Pumpkins from Seed to Supper" is not this book. The descriptions on growing and harvesing are short and imprecise. However; this said the recipe section is quite good. The book has a good variety of recipes, and some very creative uses for Squash; pumpkin souffle anyone?

The author has at least seven other books in a series of growing various vegetables. This book has the feeling of something written to spec without great depth or passion. Much of the information is generic, and the author and the book could have benefited from a bit more effort and research. There is needless lack of precision. The book is certainly of some use, but it could have and should have been better.