Pumpkin Fest

Some moppets play on giant prolate spheroids

Pumpkin Soup

The food hall

It’s that time of year when the warmth of long summer days drifts silently into memory.  The mornings turn crisp.  The days creep shorter.  But, hey, don’t waste time grieving over summer’s memories.  If anything, fall perks up the social schedule.  Weinfests galore.  American football keeps your Saturdays (and Sundays here in Germany) exciting and your heart in your throat.

There’s also something else to celebrate.  Pumpkin season.  And if you think German words are tongue-twistingly difficult to remember, try using ‘pumpkin’ on your German friends.  Their word is much simpler, Kubis.  And yes, dear hearts, there are pumpkin fests!

There’s a big one at the Kaiserslautern Garden Fair, which runs until 31 October.  Lots to see and do.  This is a fest on a grand scale, with all sorts of large animals and such, made from pumpkins.   If you’re looking for a kiddie fest, you might want to try the K-town Garden Fair. Visit: http://www.gartenschau-kl.de

Like something a little more homey and rural?  Well, I do.  Each year around this time, we head to Hitscherhof farm for arts, crafts, a corn maze, pumpkins and pumpkin products, bier, wein, oompah band, and lots of good food.  http://english.hitscherhof.com/

What is a pumpkin and why the hell would I ask?  Fruit?  Vegetable?  Depends on how you want to slice that definition.  Botanically, it’s a fruit.  But in truth, most people use a culinary definition and slice it this way:  sweet = fruit, not sweet = vegetable.  So, for pumpkin, I'm going with vegetable, actually a member of the gourd/squash family.  The Hitscherhof farm has about 30 varieties and some of them are huge, as in several hundred kilos huge.  Others are so tiny, you want to put one in a cradle and help it find its mother.

Back to business.  Want to expand your vocab and sound like something more than a soup sloshing, beer swilling swine? Now’s your chance.  Check this.  Most pumpkins are oblate spheroids, meaning they’re bigger around the middle than they are tall, unlike the prolate spheroids which have it the other way around.  Hey, no personal remarks, please!  Picture the oblate spheroids as squatty and the prolates as egg shaped.

The Hirscherhof is a working farm, but also a superb bed and breakfast, with flowers in profusion and some of the best pumpkin soup I’ve ever tasted.  The Hirscherhof  variety is smooth, creamy, with dark pumpkin oil drizzled over the top and toasted pumpkin seeds on top of that.  Ever had pumpkin wurst? My mouth waters.  My palms sweat.  I need some soup and wurst and I need ‘em now.  But, I’ll have to wait until 23-24 September, to wander the grounds, prowl the clutter of arts and crafts booths, and belly up for some wine.   Ah, well, there’s college football to keep me entertained until then, and maybe a weinfest or two.  It’s fall and I know I won’t suffer.

Tatting Lace

Hitscherhof is a working farm!

Beauty in every corner!