Cleaning, Buffing & Shining Pumpkins - Step Two

Pumpkins - Left to right

1) Musquee de Provence (Muscate de Provence) Heirloom Pumpkin.  (Left) Cucurbita pepo

these pumpkins are used by chiefs around the world.  They have orange flesh that is very sweet and flavorful.  From Southern France.

2) Blue Moon - Cucurbita Maxima. (Front) Graysih Blue with a thick yellow orange flesth.  Perfect for decorating or carving.  From Australia.

3) Jarradale - Cucurbita pepo - (Back) Gray pumpkin which with yellow-orange flesh that is sweet, dry, and stringless making it suitable for baking or pies. This variety will store for months. Stores for months.

I've had these stay fresh until February. Not sure where they originated. 

Musquee de Provence

(I call these Fairytale Pumpkins)

Blue Moon

Jarradale

 I'll start with these three beauties. Make sure

you place them on a soft cloth to prevent bruising.  I usually place a soft dish
towel on the bottom of the sink to protect the pumpkin's delicate skin.

 Scrub with a soft toothbrush making sure to get all the dirt from the cracks and creases.
My mushroom brush works very well for this process because it's so soft and gentle. 
Make sure to clean around the stem.

Clean the underside too, making sure all dirt is removed from around the bottom.

Be very careful not to cut or damage the skin.

 Buff with a terry towel.

 Then buff with a micro towel.

 Notice how these buff out like they were waxed! 
All natural, just a little elbow grease
 for the Blue Moon and Jarradale. 
I usually spend 15 minutes buffing each pumpkin.

 The Fairytale however won't buff out so nicely
and needs a little help to shine.

This is the natural shine.
 
 So, I use a acrylic crystal clear
gloss clear spray to
help it out. 

And we have shine!

Next!

Gather the decorations.

Mumzie