The Great Pumpkin

Every time I think of autumn, orb-like pumpkins come to mind.  From Jack-o’-lanterns to pumpkin pie... of course, I’m not speaking of homemade love, but store bought pumpkin pies topped with a mile-high tower of ready-made whipped cream from a can (guilty pleasure alert).  So while Linus van Pelt sits in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin, I might be found tucking into my custardy slice or roaming around the city seeking other tasty incarnates made from the gourd-like squash including those seen below.

One of the big finds at this year’s Brick Works Picnic were La Palette’s pumpkin and pear fritters that oozed unctuous cinnamon custard from its thin golden shell.

The bisque-like curry pumpkin soup from Linda Restaurant is made all the more aromatic with crisp fried shallots and a creamy coconut milk-flower christening its surface.

Exquisite dim sum: pan-fried buns stuffed with minced pork and pumpkin in black bean garlic sauce is available year round from Grand Chinese Cuisine.

Serious bread addicts line up for the artisan breads from Thuet Bakery, including the moist and slightly fluffy pumpkin seed bread that uses tangy levain instead of boring yeast.

Lovely pumpkin Pocky tastes more like custard flavoured chocolate, however we would give the manufacturers credit for creating the Halloween friendly packaging.

Available seasonally, the pumpkin ale from Great Lakes Brewery is a slightly spicy handcrafted brew due to the inclusion of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice.

Renée Suen is a graduate student at the University of Toronto, specializing in cardiovascular sciences. She has an insatiable appetite and can often be found with her camera, searching for something tasty to eat. Many of these adventures can be found on her food-tography-filled Flickr site.