Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2008 | Page 74

life GARDENING Sally studied horticulture at Duchy College, Cornwall (Bsc (Hons) Horticulture) before breaking into gardening journalism. Time to experiment Halloween Sally Charrett If you have a question for Sally need some advice or even a suggestion for an article then please email: [email protected] Vegetable carving is nothing new and was carried out by those that toiled the land at the time of bountiful autumn harvests, long before the spe cific association of pumpkin carving and halloween. With the party season almost upon us, gardening writer Sally Charrett looks at some alternative carving options. Halloween wouldn’t be the same without carving spooky faces into large, orange pumpkins to make lanterns. However, rather than attempt to hack out the ubiquitous crude and unimaginative triangles eyes and gappy teeth, why not try something a little different? Children will not want to stray too far from the ghoulish appeal of the traditional jack-o-lantern, but for adults pumpkin carving can be taken to a whole new level. The pumpkin family is actually one of the largest groups of vegetables and includes winter squash and gourds, as well as other types of pumpkins. These come in an extraordinary array of shapes and colours – speckled, stripy, squat, knobbly, long-necked, star-shaped, fist-sized, fiery oranges and reds and cooler greens and yellows. Next time you are at your local supermarket or farmer’s market, have a look and see what is on offer. Generally 74 speaking, the harder the variety, the more difficult it’ll be to scoop out the flesh and carve into – but well worth it if you can find the patience and time. Try experimenting with more sophisticated patterns such as stars, dots, leaves or swirls. For head-turning autumn displays, use your cucurbit lanterns to light up the dining table, hang from trees, float on water, or provide nightlights for garden paths and doorways. You could even organise a friendly neighbourhood competition for the best dressed front window. Children might like to try improving on the traditional jack-o-lantern features – for inspiration, flick through bedtime books and cartoons, and base designs on favourite ‘baddie’ characters. For something really different, try creating a goblin’s home, or a witch’s cat. How to carve: Most tools you’ll need will be found in the kitchen drawers or garage toolbox, but if not, stock up at the local hardware store or art shop. Cut open the top (sometimes the base) of the pumpkin and retain the piece as a ‘lid’ if desired. A sharp knife will help to shred hard flesh before scooping it out with a spoon (bend handle back for ease). Reduce the flesh to a thickness of 1cm or just under. Draw your design on the skin with a crayon or ballpoint pen before cutting out with a craft knife. Use a lino-cutting tool to carve the skin without actually perforating it. This adds another lighting dimension to the lantern. To make neat, round holes use a gimlet tool. For information and inspiring ideas on pumpkin carving, see Decorating Pumpkins and Gourds by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell. Published by CICO Books at £9.99 (hardback) Available from all good bookshops and Waterstones, Newport. www.wightfrog.com/islandlife