anonymous
2008-01-03 09:39:07 UTC
the celebration of halloween is becoming more and more popular all through europe while in the past it was merely an american festivity,though of european origins. the king of the feast is the pumpkin, which is largely cultivated in north america. during the right season pumpkins more frequently go under the knife to become halloween jack o'lanterns rather than becoming the most important ingredint of baked pies. the tradition is based on the centuries-old irish legend of stingy jack, a lying,cheating drunkard who made a deal with the devil for his soul twice and managed to trick the lord of the underworld twice. when jack finally died, he was not only rejected at the gates of heaven, but was also condemned to wander the earth. jack complained that he could not find his way out of the darkness of hades and the devil gave him an ember. jack hollowed out a turnip to hold the ember and the "jack o' latern"was created.to keep jack away from their homes, people of irish villages made their own jack o'lanterns, placing candles inside turnips. immigrants brought the tradition to the new world, where turnips were substituted with the native pumpkins. nowadays pumpkins are not only recognized as the symbol of autumn but most of all as the representation of halloween.they are found on tables as decorations and carved into spooky shapes by children in order to be placed at the front door during the last week of october.
and pumpkins!
nutritionally speaking,pumpkins are a real treasure.they are the only fruit or vegetable with both antioxidants betacarotene and alpha carotene,which convert to vitamin a in the body, as well as having other cancer-fighting carotenoids,lutein and zexanthin.pumpkins are a rich source of vitamin C,calcium,potassium,niacin,riboflavin,and ascorbic acid.the seeds should not be neglected because besides being a tasty snack when toasted they are rich in essential fatty acids and are a great plant source of zinc.the aroma of pumpkin pie, fresh from the oven, can be a treat for the nostrils.for about half the population,this scent can stimulate appetites of the carnal kind.according to scentsational sex,a book by the neurogical director of the smell and taste treatment and research foundation in chicago,the aroma of pumpkin pie is considered to be one of the most arousing olfactory aphrodisiacs for men. not only are pumpkins used for culinary purposes, they are also ingredients for skin care products,particulary facial masques.their enzymes eat away the dead cells off the surface layer of the skin and therefore they are very popular in spa treatments.these vegetables are largely cultivated in north america but new england has been named the pumpkin capital in the united states.