Weird Things to Do With a Pumpkin (The Non-Edible Edition)
December 4, 2012
•Emily Murray
•Las Vegas
• 0 Comments
Weird Things to Do With a Pumpkin (The Non-Edible Edition)
If fall had a plant or a flower to represent the season, than it would be the pumpkin. It’s the one symbol where if you see it –you know instantly that fall is in the air. There are a lot of different things you can do with a pumpkin, from carving jack-o-lanterns to making pumpkin pie, to now, the comforting pumpkin spice latte. Those are the standard uses for a pumpkin but there are a lot of other things you can do that aren’t edible.
Jack-O-Lantern
The most famous Halloween tradition of them all, is carving the jack-o-lantern. Maybe not so out of the ordinary but some pumpkin carvings can get pretty wild. Carving pumpkins has come a long way since the simple smile, triangle nose and triangle eyes. Now, there are national carving competitions and extreme carvings with robotics, which feature blood and guts. Pumpkin carving can now be more of an art form than a simple decoration that we put a candle in at Halloween.
Punkin Chunkin
Search just about any state around Halloween and you’ll find Punkin Chunkin events. These are crazy competitions where engineers and mechanics create monster catapults, line up in a field and launch pumpkins in the air. These powerful catapults launch pumpkins hundreds of yards in the air until ultimately hitting the ground and smashing into pieces; the winner is the one that can launch the pumpkin the farthest. This event is becoming an autumn tradition throughout the country.
Pumpkins – Good For Your Skin and Hair
Pumpkins can actually be good for your skin as well as your hair. When carving a pumpkin the inside of the pumpkin can be considered gross to some, but to others it acts as a great skin moisturizer. Pumpkin seeds and “guts” have a lot of vitamins and can be mixed with almonds and a little bit of honey in a food processor to make an incredible facial moisturizer. After your pumpkin facial, cook the insides of the pumpkin and mix them with coconut oil to make hair conditioner. The next time you need a facial or want a new shine to your hair, just grab a pumpkin and within minutes you can have your own spa day.
Pumpkins – Not just for Grandmas pies
The universal symbol for autumn has many uses far beyond a household decoration or a delicious pie. It doesn’t matter the use, pumpkins create a sense of excitement for the seasons change and can provide an entertaining launch to a holiday season.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Las Vegas for more information.
Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.chefs.edu/disclosures.Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Credits earned are unlikely to transfer.