[Sca-cooks] The pumpkin/gourd debate (again) from theapothecary's workshop

[Terry Decker]

All members of genus Cucurbita are of North American origin, including those 
found in Asia and Africa.  Gourds and melons are of Old World origin.  A 
quick way to tell the difference is to look at the stem.  Cucurbita have 
deeply ribbed stems, the gourds and melons have round, relatively smooth, 
lightly veined stems.

Bear


don't know if this will help.  but there is a pumpkin of south-east asian
origin, as well as a gourd that is called pumkin in africa.  Since I had
the fire my reference library is currently either detroyed or packed away
for safe keeping<those that survived, luckily my hortus guide is in the
latter>, so I can't look up the bontanical names right now.

Asian has the common name of Chinese Pumpkin, or White melon.  it is a
greenish/white pumpkin type flesh.  I grow it every year, almost.  is
about 12-16 inches in diameter with the seed cavity at about 4-6 inches,
so thick fleshed.  tastes like a butternut squash.

The Africian variety I am not familiar with first hand, only from
reference in cookbooks and botanical texts.  It is said to be somewhat
more melonlike in texture and flavour, but thinner in flesh that the
native North American pumpkin.

joy

radei