Old Fashioned yet still a classic, this famous cocktail gets a twist for fall with a bit of homemade pumpkin puree and real maple syrup. The type of pumpkin puree you choose will make all of the difference in this recipe.
We have two go-to favorite pumpkins that we grow during the summer season in our garden that make excellent choices for a quality puree, Musque De Provence and the Marina Di Chioggia.
The Musquee de Provence squash is a hybrid developed in Europe in the 19th century and is most well-known in the Provence region in the south of France that borders Italy and includes the coastal French Riveria. It was then introduced to the United States in 1899 and was first sold by a seed store in Chicago. Today the French heirloom is most often spotted at local farmers' markets throughout France and is sold through online seed companies in the United States, Europe, and South Africa.
This beautiful large European variety from Southern France weighs up to 25 pounds. Ours ripen beautifully indoors once the cold hit and was still going strong in Mid-March. The shape of these pumpkins reminds you of an old Halloween painting with its deep ribs. These pumpkins are typically found in Europe in markets where they are cut into chunks because of their size and sold individually.
Our other favorite culinary pumpkin variety is the Marina Di Chioggia, the heirloom sea pumpkin of Chioggia, a fishing village on the coast of Italy, south of Venice. This beauty of squash is still served on the canals of Venice, grilled with olive oil by the bargemen, and served as a whole wedge. Its meaty and sweet texture has also made this pumpkin popular as a filling for ravioli and for making gnocchi.
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