October is a time for candy corn, costumed kids and those smiling, bright orange glowing faces that herald the coming of Halloween.
David Nagel, vegetable specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the pumpkin carving tradition is very old.
It began with the Celts who carried turnips as lanterns to scare away the evil spirits that came out on “All Hallows Eve” on Oct. 31. When immigrants came to America they found pumpkins were more abundant than turnips and began using them for the tradition instead, Nagel said.
Since there are many techniques to carving a pumpkin, Nagel suggested some helpful hints for those interested in making their own jack-o-lantern.
The first step is picking out a good pumpkin, Nagel said.
“You should look for one with a good stem,” Nagel said. “This means that the stem should be totally dry and brown. If the stem is green, then that means that the pumpkin is not mature yet, and it will rot quicker.”
Other tips for picking out a good pumpkin include looking at the size and shape of the pumpkin.
“Pumpkins that are good for carving are light for their size,” Nagel said. “Heavy pumpkins have thick walls and are difficult to carve. But the rind should be hard though. It shouldn’t have any give to it.”
Pumpkins generally have a specific side that they lay on or lean toward because of how they are grown in the patch. Because of this, Nagel said that even though a pumpkin may look pretty, it is always important to check it to make sure it will stand properly for display.
“You should look at the pumpkins and find a shape you like,” Nagel said. “Then sit the pumpkin on a flat surface to make sure that it will stand.”
The MSU chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students recently participated in a pumpkin-carving contest. Some of the participants had suggestions for people who are interested in carving pumpkins.
Laura Baker, a senior architecture student, picked out the pumpkins for the contest.
“It’s important to make sure the pumpkins are balanced, that there are no holes and no big scars,” Baker said. “It’s also good to have a nice stem.”
Once the perfect pumpkin is found, it is time to carve a hole, big enough to put a hand into it. Should be cut in the top of the pumpkin so the stringy, slimy, seedy pulp, or “pumpkin guts” as it’s commonly called, can be removed.
When the pumpkin is completely hollowed, it is then ready for the design to be carved into it, but picking out the perfect design can be almost as difficult as picking out the perfect pumpkin.
“Your design can’t include anything too small, because it will be hard to cut it out,” Baker said.
Some of the designs picked by architecture students included a pumpkin design within a pumpkin, a South Park character and a monster.
People who are not so creative can find design templates for carving pumpkins on the Internet or in kits available at stores.
The design can then be drawn directly on the pumpkin with a marker or printed out and taped onto the pumpkin.
Carving the design can sometimes be tricky, so it is important to use the proper carving utensils, Nagel said.
Kits with utensils made especially for pumpkin carving can be found at most stores around Halloween.
“Carving is easiest with a small, sharp knife or a pumpkin carving kit,” Nagel said. “Don’t try to use a big carving knife because you won’t have as much control over it.. The key to making the pumpkin design really look good is to cut at an angle,” Nagel said.
“This makes the light illuminating off of the inside of the pumpkin more visible.”
Architecture students also pointed out some important safety tips to remember when carving a pumpkin.
“You have to be very careful and make sure that you don’t cut yourself through the pumpkin,” Hillari Jones said.
Some tips from Cheri Sicard of FabulousFoods.com on how to make the most of pumpkin creations include:
Washing the inside of the pumpkin with a mild bleach solution to slow the process of decay.
Coating the edges of the pumpkin’s cuts with petroleum jelly to make them last longer.
Re-attaching and repairing broken pieces with toothpicks or straight pins.
Sprinkling Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper on the pumpkin to discourage squirrels and other animals from bothering the jack-o-lantern.
Sprinkling pumpkin pie spice inside it, so it will fill the area with the smell of pumpkin pie.