French Heirloom Winter Pumpkin ' Galeux d'Eysines '
Cucurbita maxima
Galeux d'Eysines pumpkin seeds produce a lovely French Heirloom pumpkin with salmon pink coloured skin covered in peanut-like warts caused by sugar swelling in the skins. The somewhat flattened fruits resemble wheels of cheese, and average 10-15 lbs each and can store for up to 6 months. Simply the best smooth texture of all the pumpkins for pies. It has a delicious flavour and very high sugar content at maturity. The flesh is bright, almost neon-orange. Best smooth texture of all the pumpkins.
Details:
Plant lifecycle: annual
Site: Full sun
Days to maturity: 95-100 days
Seed depth: 1"
Plant spacing:36-48"
Row spacing: 48-72"
Approx seeds per packet : 15
How to grow:
Sowing: Direct sow or transplant in late spring when soil warms up. For transplants, start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks after the last frost date. Try to get the plants into the ground no later than the summer solstice. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 68-95°F. Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.
Sow seeds 1"deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot you want a plant to grow and thin to the strongest plant. Space plants at a minimum of 36-48 "apart in rows 48-72" apart. If starting transplants indoors, consider using the 12-cell plug inserts.
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. These big plants need lots of food. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-draining soil. Dig in a generous quantity of finished compost and/or composted manure. Dig in 1 cup of complete organic fertilizer under each plant. All pumpkins grow male flowers first, then the female flowers are produced. The female flowers have tiny fruits at the base of the petals and require pollination by bees, mostly. Incomplete pollination is common at the beginning of the season, and results in small fruits that are misshapen at the flower end. Discard these damaged fruits before they rot.
For the largest pumpkins, feed weekly throughout the growing season with fish or kelp based fertilizer. Keep the huge plants well watered, particularly in hot weather. Always water the soil, and avoid any form of overhead watering other than rain. Fruit will grow larger if you keep only one fruit per vine. As the fruit develops, try to gently encourage it to grow at a 90° angle to the vine itself. The largest pumpkin varieties will grow on their sides.
How to harvest:
Like other winter squash, pumpkins are mature when they have colored up well and their stems are crisp. For the best sugar content, cut the stem about 2" or so from the body of the fruit. If the weather is dry, allow the pumpkins to cure in the field for 10 days, or in a warm room for 4-5 days.
Bring pumpkins in under cover before rain.
Organic French Heirloom Winter Pumpkin 'Galeux d'Eysinesm' NonGmo
I like to cook things that might intimidate some cooks. Take the Galeux D'Eysines pumpkin. You might find this sold as a "decorative" pumpkin under the harsh name of "Uncle Fester Pumpkin." It's salmon-colored and covered with tan, um, "warts." Looks are deceiving. This is one of the most delicious edible pumpkins in the world. When we cut into it, the kiddo's first remark was, "It smells like a peach!" And it did, the squash flesh was a yellow-orange with a fruity aroma somewhere between peach, hazelnut and that characteristic winter squash earthiness. Paired with fresh herbs and just a touch of butter and half and half for the finish, this makes a beautiful, subtly complex fall soup.
Ingredients:
5 pounds edible pumpkin, Galeux D'Eysines2 tablespoons olive oil2 leeks, cleaned and sliced white parts1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced2 fresh sprigs rosemary, chopped3 sprigs fresh thyme, stemmed1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped8 cups chicken broth3 tablespoons butter1 tablespoon sugar, optional1 pinch nutmegsalt and pepper to taste1/3 cup half and halfDirections
First, get a sharp knife. Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds. Cut the halves into manageable chunks, then cut away the outer rind. Dice the flesh into 1-inch cubes. It's really not so hard if you have a good chef's knife.
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot, medium heat. Add the leeks, onion and herbs and sweat the aromatics until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin cubes and the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 20-30 minutes.
Puree using an immersion blender. Swirl in the butter and the half and half. Add the nutmeg, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Use the sugar if you like a slight sweetness to your soups.