Pumpkin Soup

 But wait, they really are great food sources, so don't throw them out at the end of the season, but make them into wonderful bread, cookies, and savory soup. Pumpkin soup is always a crowd pleaser on a cold fall day, though it's unusual enough to keep your guest guessing "what kind of soup is this? It's so wonderful!"

Ingredients

2 lbs cooked fresh pumpkin (to cook pumpkin, divide pumpkin in quarters, take out innards and place quarters into pan/s with 2 inches of water and place in oven at 375°. Bake until meat is tender. Cut meat from skin and mash)

3 C scalded milk
or chicken
broth*
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. brown
sugar
1/4 tsp. ginger
(optional)
1/4 tsp.
cinnamon
(optional)
salt and pepper
to taste
*3/4 c light cream if
you used chicken
broth

Directions

Cook pumpkin and mash meat. Add to scalded milk or chicken broth. Mix/kneed together and add butter and flour. Add brown sugar, spices and cream if using the chicken broth. Heat over medium heat. Do not let it boil. (For meat lovers, or if you want the soup as the main dish, you can add diced baked ham)

You can find a wide variety of fresh pumpkins for cooking at the Farmers' Market, still operating outside at the High Rock Ave pavilions (until Sat., Nov. 7 - then the Market will be open at Division Street Elementary School - only on Saturdays), Sat 9-1 and Wed. 3-6. Definitely use Battenkill Creamery milk/cream to make the soup divinely smooth.