On A Pumpkin Roll...

I am, my friends and fellow cooks, on a pumpkin roll.

Wait a minute, in rereading that statement it sounds as if I’m in a rather precarious predicament. I am not, I assure you, perched upon a seasonal confection consisting of a delightful pumpkin cake slathered with a sweet cream cheese filling and coaxed into a giant pinwheel of deliciousness.

No, that’s not the current scene in my kitchen at all. I am, however, relentlessly pursuing, preparing and gleefully consuming virtually every other form of pumpkin I can think of. It’s a well documented fact that I love the month of October and all the pumpkin that it brings; you may recall this true confession from last year:

http://kitchen-loulou.blogspot.com/2010/08/craving-october.html

In the first ten days of this month I have made a pumpkin gooey butter cake (a Paula Deen recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-gooey-butter-cakes-recipe/index.html, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (http://kitchen-loulou.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html), a three layer pumpkin spice cake with pumpkin cream cheese frosting http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/pumpkin-spice-cake-3559 and even added a heaping spoonful of pumpkin straight out of the can into a big hot bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, butter and brown sugar.

Obsessed? You bet. And it doesn’t stop here, later this week my dear friend (and fellow foodie) Dixie are going to “Beyond The Pumpkin Patch” (a hands on pumpkin cooking class at my favorite neighborhood grocery store). The class description promises we’ll be making:

• Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter Sauce
• Smoked Pumpkin Bisque
• "Spaghetti" & Meatballs with Pumpkin Marinara Sauce
• Asian-Style Sweet & Sour Pumpkin Tartlets

I’m particularly intrigued by the Smoked Pumpkin Bisque. Really, how does one smoke a pumpkin? The same way in which one smokes a pork butt, a turkey or a brisket? I don’t know, but I can hardly wait to find out. And what, exactly, will an Asian Style Sweet & Sour Pumpkin Tartlet taste like? In the name of research, and all things pumpkin, I’m willing give it my all to find out.

The bottom line people, is this pumpkin roll of mine doesn’t show any signs of slowing down any time soon. By all means, grab some pumpkin, join me for the ride and let’s see where this pumpkin rolls next!