The same thing happens to me every year. I buy a pumpkin, and all good intentions aside, Halloween comes and I’ve forgotten to carve it. Not this year!
While there appears to be a pumpkin shortage, there were plenty to be found at my favorite farm stand. Also, the carving allowed my visiting friend Phil (who is British) to take part in this gooey and slightly odd American tradition.
Materials
Pumpkin
Knife
Sharpie
Spoon
Bowl (for pumpkin guts)
Tea light
If roasting seeds:
Cookie sheet
Oil, salt, paprika (batch one)
Soy sauce (batch two)
Cocktail of the Day: Bar Harbor pleasure pack (a selection of various Bar Harbor brews)
1. Stop at your favorite farm stand and purchase pumpkins. Discuss Halloween costumes with a man who rings you up. Agree that indeed, any costume that involves a wig and makeup is a lot more fun.
2. Decide to move the party to an hour earlier so you can all go to Improv Acadia afterwards. Be slightly sad that everything seasonal is going to close in two weeks but no at least know you’ve been making the most of it this past week.
3. Order pizza from Rosalies and head to Craft Central.
4. Put beers in freezer to cool. Preheat oven. Cover table with newspapers.
5. Cut top off pumpkin. Note that a notch in the top shows how easily to put the top back on.
6. Practice your pumpkin design on the pizza box and take your turn scooping out pumpkin guts. Realize some crafters are more meticulous than others.
7. Put seeds on cookie sheet with a light coating of oil and salt. Place in oven. Remember beers in freezer and take them out so they don’t explode.
8. Make fun of Nicole’s terrible British accent. Carve design into pumpkin while eating pizza. (In case you were wondering, apparently Christy has the best fake British accent of the Too Cute Tuesday group, as judged by Phil).
9. Continue to attempt British accent and stir pumpkin seeds. Put back in the oven. Roast until brown. When in doubt, as any good cook would do, taste.
10. Finish pumpkin designs and break out the British chocolate (thanks Phil!). Put in candle pumpkin. Marvel at your design skills briefly before heading to improv show.
Aren’t you crafty?