Happy Hallowe’en and Pumpkin Jack!

Happy Hallowe’en and Pumpkin Jack!

Are you dressing up and heading out with the kids tonight? Take along a thermos of coffee in case you need a respite.

Here in Thailand, although the stores sell Halloween stuff, it is not a known fete among the populace.

In case you want to impress the ‘know-it-alls' around you, here are a couple pumpkin facts:

The Daily Mail reported that a couple of British brothers grew the biggest pumpkin in Europe. The pumpkin weighs 660 kilograms. It grew for 129 days. Everyday, the pumpkin needs 1.5 tons of fertilizer. You'd soon get a whiff of that, let me tell you. It was the second biggest pumpkin in the world.

The world's biggest pumpkin weighed about 766 kilograms and was grown by an American. It's a special type I call a hernia pumpkin.

I've been known to make pumpkin muffins (with sunflower kernels). Tasty! And, pumpkin bread is great, too. You'll find all kinds of recipes on the net.

Friend of mine, an oil rig engineer, once gave me the recipe for Pumpkin Jack. It's a secret so don't tell anyone, okay? Here's how you make it (he said in a whisper)… Take a pumpkin about the size of a soccer ball or smaller. Cut the top off. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, leaving the meat. Fill the cavity with sugar. Put the top back on and drip hot candle wax on it to reseal it. Let it sit and ferment for two weeks. Best put a net/mesh around it because the pumpkin will get soggy. Hang it so it doesn't flatten out or get mouldy underneath.

After two weeks, tap it (put a small hole in one side towards the bottom). A spigot is the best thing to use. Be sure you have a mug or two handy to catch the drippings. These will now by a tad syrupy and taste a little like pumpkinny Drambuie! Whoo…ie! Strain it into a sterilized bottle like a 26 oz. empty gin bottle… not that you'd have one around but maybe you can borrow one from a neighbour. You may have to promise him a taste. Pumpkin Jack's got quite a kick to it. You'll be the hit of the neighbourhood… Haven't tried dunking doughnuts in it but you could drizzle some over ice cream...

Bob