SC - Pumpkins in Period?

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Dear Cooks:

We had a good discussion on this back when i first learned of the 
cooking competition.

The topic has arisen again on the West Kingdom list as our third 
crown of the year draws nigh.

Here is a message from the head of the Wooden Spoon, the West Kingdom 
cooking group:

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From: "Heather Mayo" <hmayo at svbank.com>
To: "'sca-west at rogues.net'" <sca-west at rogues.net>
Subject: [SCA-West] Wooden Spoon at October Crown
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2000 10:25:34 -0700

Lady Eileen here,
I have been receiving e-mails concerning the Wooden Spoon competition for
October Crown.  In case any of you don't get the page it is a dish
containing pumpkin.  I have found at least 3 sources that document that
pumpkin has been around since at least the mid 1400's.  It  has been called,
"pepon, pompon, and pumpion".  Shakespeare referred to the "pumpion" in his
Merry Wives of Windsor.  I also found an oil for cooking made from the seeds
of a pumpkin from the Styria Region of Austria, that has been around for
"hundreds of years".
I thought that I would throw something out there that was fun (pumpkin close
to Halloween), and somewhat of a challenge.
I research each competition before I decide if it is one worth having.  I
think that the more challenging it is the more I might get in the way of
entries.
Just think,....I really like pumpkin pie.....let's say I research and find
out that it is actually a period dish just prepared differently than it is
now.  (I know it isn't this is just an example of some one who hasn't
entered an now might thinking how fun!!).
I have even talked to people who weren't going to enter because pumpkin is
not "period" and when I said yes it is just "late period" they said "Wow I
think I will enter something".

Lady Eileen Kathryn of Hareswood
Stepping off the soapbox
hmayo at svbank.com

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Anyone able to shed any light on this? My recollection of our 
discussion is that while they were only discovered in the New World, 
and thus primarily only available in the 16th century, no known 
recipes for actual *pumpkin as we know it* exist in period.

And what was the ancient pumpkin seed oil from Austria?

Anahita al-shazhiyya