Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins

After lots of planning and preparation, we had another successful pumpkin carving event. We had more than thirty people crammed in the house, half of which were small kids. At times I didn't know where to step without tripping over or stomping on a rug rat crawling around. It's great to have a new crop of toddlers every year, but it's really cool to see the older kids getting into it. Henry was really focused on what Tim was doing to his pumpkin.

Since we had just bought new furniture, Jfer decided that we should move the messiest part--gutting of the gourds--into the garage. She borrowed a couple of tables from work and I set up a saw-horse table and with my work light and the cool weather, the garage turned into the perfect workshop. Most of the carving was done in the living room, which is actually a big place when you move the furniture against the wall.

As usual, we had a ton of food, both prepared by us as well as contributed by the guests. Jfer made a delicious Camarão na Moranga--a Brazilian shrimp soup served in baked pumpkins--which turned out to be a hit. I did my usual potato mushroom soup which turned out pretty well, but it's hard to compete with shrimp. I also made three kinds of bread: Grissini (Italian bread sticks) shaped like bones, pretzel breads shaped like pumpkins and Weggli (Swiss rolls) shaped like ghosts. I felt a bit like Martha Stewart but the bones were a big hit with the kids and the pretzels with the adults.

I didn't have all that much time for carving my pumpkin--being the host and having to gut both my as well as Jfer's humongous pumpkins. So my jack-o-lantern as well as the one Jfer made were fairly quickie jobs. I've decided that next year I'll go with a big pumpkin eating a baby pumpkin--think of it as a cannibalistic Madonna and Child.

As usual, I took a ton of pictures. I think the best original pumpkin I like is Luca's Romeo.