Pumpkinpalooza is Saturday October 27th!

It’s finally here! The celebration of our favorite spherical gourd is upon us… Pumpkinpalooza ought seven!

The Food: Dinner will be around 7ish and yes, our menu will remain the same with the traditional pumpkin sausage pasta, baguette, and tossed green salad with pumpkin seed viniaigrette. Dessert will be brought by you. Yes, this year you provide the dessert. Why? Because there will be a punkin bake-off (and making pasta sauce and caramel corn for 60 takes all of my time)! Need a recipe? Shoot me an email and I’ll be happy to send you a recipe link for pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cream puffs, chocolate pumpkin orange cupcakes, and yes, even pumpkin pie. Don’t do the dessert thing? Wanna bring an appetizer? Some bread? A beverage? Another dessert? That would be great, awesome even! Give me a jingle.


The Carving: Carving will begin around 5. We will provide a few carving implements (read: my steak knives), plenty of sharpies, and newspaper. You provide the pumpkin (hint: innovative use of pumpkins of different shapes and colors will be noted in judging), skill, inspiration, and any special tools (i.e. stencils, exacto knives, leather/ceramic tooling kits, or electric helps such as jigsaws, drills, or extension cords).

This year will be the second we judge the carved goods. If your jack-o-lantern wins you shall be dubbed High Pumpkin Mucky-Muck! To acknowledge your superlative pumpkin carving skills and incredible creativity we will slap your name on a tacky trophy and grant you one year of bragging rights. Afore said trophy will accompany you home where it will be kept in a highly visible place (we think your mantle or kitchen table best) till next Pumpkinfest. Huzzah! Warning: last year’s reigning champ is highly skilled and very cute and intends to take home the trophy for another year so bring your skills and your best game face.


The Place: Since we have moved from farm to apartment quarters are tight so accommodations have been made at our church. You need directions? Rsvp and I’ll send ‘em to you. For obvious reasons I don’t feel comfortable posting my party location on the web.

It promises to be the best palooza yet! Besides good eats and good times, pumpkin carving and baked good contests, we have also planned some really fun games and some special treats. So come on out!

Now if you’ll excuse me I gotta get shopping. I need that #10 can of pureed pumpkin, a Guaraldi CD, caramel corn fixin’s, votive candles…