PAlooooooooooooZA!

It’s finally here!

The celebration of our favorite spherical gourd is upon us… Pumpkinpalooza ought nine!* A fine Fox family fradition (sorry, I was on an alliteration role), tradition! On Friday, October 30, 2009 we will celebrate!

The Food: dinner will be around 7ish with our menu remaining the same: traditional pumpkin sausage pasta, baguette, and tossed green salad with pumpkin seed viniaigrette. Dessert will be brought by you. Yes, 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, shoot me an email, or text me, your communication options are many.

The Carving: Carving will begin around 6. 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). If one hour between carving and food is not enough for you to complete your pumpkiny master piece, then please by all means, get a head start at home, but judging will commence directly after consumption of the dinner foodage.

This year will be the THIRD 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, where you, Miss America-like, will pass on the torch or rather, ugly piece of plastic. Huzzah!

WARNING: our past two winners are exceedingly talented so bring your best game!

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. That said, this is NOT a church event, though some church friends will be attending we can't afford to feed the entire congregation so mums the word.

Are you going to come? We'd love to see you there. Not going to come? We'll post photo's on facebook so you can pretend you came. Either way can you give me a head's up? I need to know how much food to purchase. Thanks and hope to see you there!

Grace and peace or grapes and peas,

-Beth


*If you're reading this and thinking: "wow this sounds a lot like Beth's past Palooza invite" you're right. Cut and paste is just about my speed right now so if my lack of creativity leaves you shattered... cope.