Pumpkins are popping up everywhere during the month of May.
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The mother-in-law called round the other day and in her wake, a pumpkin.
We got invited to dinner the other night, pumpkin soup was on the menu.
Could we bring one, we asked, looking to "on-gift".
Nope, they already had one.
MIL visited again a few days later. Her parting gift, another pumpkin.
Setting aside the tendency for people to de-clutter, it's fair to say pumpkins are on the go at the moment.
Indeed, a quick Google reveals they are in season in Australia from autumn to winter.
Further Googling suggests they are grown on every continent except Antarctica.
I'd query that given how prodigiously they grow if given a chance.
Anyway, thank god because there's nothing better than a warming bowl of pumpkin soup this time of year when things feel a bit Antarctic.
Indeed, pumpkin soup is on the stove as I type.
As with any rampant fruit/vegetable - home grown, or home delivered - the onus is on putting it to good use.
Read that to mean, into your stomach.
Because waste is wasteful. Sin is sinful. And spoiling yourself is wonderful.
Hopefully I've got the pumpkin soup recipe right.
"Chop up and apply heat" is the general approach.
Same thing if you want roast pumpkin, actually - chop up and apply heat.
Very easy to remember.
Which probably explains why pumpkin is such a popular vegetable among morons.
Make that fruit, you moron, because it grows on a vine.
So good you could bottle it, if you had a bottle big enough.
Of course, there are a few nuances that can add to pumpkin soup.
Ask people round a bowl and you'll quickly hear variations.
Add a potato, add an apple, add cream.
And to that I say Yep, Yep, Yep.
And don't forget to scoop out the seeds is another good suggestion.
Debate rages as to what the ultimate variety of pumpkin for cooking is.
I have a soft spot for Butternut.
Others will point you towards Kent or the mighty Queensland Blue, although I wouldn't mention that round State of Origin.
Like any star attraction, they all have their magic moments.
When it comes to pumpkin soup, I'd suggest there are two.
First, when mushing down, don't forget to wear protective clothing.
A stick blender can be a weapon in unwary hands, likely to shower pumpkin lava.
All over oneself, and more importantly to some observers, the rest of the kitchen.
Second, compelling as it is, don't rush that first slurp.
Anything too hasty can result in third- to possibly tenth-degree burns on the roof your mouth.
A stark reminder thereafter that pumpkins are in season this time of year. Take care.
