It’s The Great Pumpkin….Chunking

Wikipedia defines “Pumpkin Chunking” as the sport of hurling a pumpkin by mechanical means for distance.  The “American Chunker” does it with a chunkin’ deluxe, state of the art, technologically advanced pneumatic air cannon.   These guys can chunk a pumpkin over 4000 feet!

The team is based out the Nashua NH area and placed 4^th at last years “World Champion Pumpkin Chunkin Competition”.  This was the “American Chunker’s” first competition and the “Chunker 2.0” is expected to be one of this years top contenders. 

This sunny afternoon out in the fields of a local farm, it’s not about competition… it’s about entertainment.  The wicked long cannon was not pointed upward, but instead was aimed at an old travel trailer, strategically placed at the opposite end of a huge open field.

The Master of Ceremonies explained “If the cannon were pointed upward at a specially calculated angle, pumpkins would bomb unsuspecting folks over a half a mile away”.  While it was a bit disappointing to miss out on the sight of pumpkins sailing off into the distant sky, it’s understandable. Can you say “Chunkin’ Law Suit”?

As the Chunker’s air compressors began to hum you could feel the excitement resonate from some of the little kids and all of the grown men. The pumpkins are inspected and loaded, the countdown ensues, air horns blast a warning and the giant air cannon fires. In a show of raw chunkin’ power, the pumpkins blow right through both walls and out the back of the trailer.

With every blast from the cannon came “ohhhhs and ahhhhs” from some of the little kids and all of the grown men.  I enjoyed the chunkin, I absolutely see the entertainment value and I appreciate the engineering talent and effort put forth by the team.  Not to mention, they are non profit and benefit “New England Basset Hound Rescue”. 

However, as a chef and food lover, with every pumpkin chunked, I said to myself “ohhhh there goes a beautiful pumpkin risotto, ahhh pumpkin ravioli with herb cream, all those seeds toasted with garlic and a slice of pumpkin pie sure would hit the spot right now”.

I’m trying not to think about pumpkin recipes just as one of the pumpkins explodes in mid air and it starts to rain pumpkin chunks.  Some of the kids and all of the grown men cheered and I said to myself “pumpkin gnocchi with sage and brown butter”.

World Campion Pumpkin Chunkin will be aired on national cable outlets during the month of November.

More info on the American Chunker Team - http://americanchunker.blogspot.com/

New England Basset Hound Rescue –www.newenglandbassethoundrescue.org

Pumpkin Gnocchi Dough

2 C      cold mashed or riced – cooked ripe pumpkin

2 C      ricotta cheese

3          egg yolks – local brown nest eggs from happy hens are best

 Add 3 C AP flour – A little more – A little less – to make nice stiff dough

Mix pumpkin, cheese and egg yolks with whip until smooth

Add flour slowly to bowl with pumpkin & ricotta

Use dough hook or knead by hand

Mix until dough ball is well formed

Roll small portions of dough into long lengths – about an inch in diameter

Slice the lengths into small pieces about an inch wide – They dont have to be perfect!

Press your finger into one to make an indent

Drop into salted boiling water and cook until they float.

It’s that easy!

Sage and Brown Butter Sauce.

2 Tbl unsalted butter

4 Sage leaves chopped – more or less to your taste

 Brown butter over medium head

Add fresh sage

Toss in the gnocchi

Top with graded Parmesan cheese

It’s that easy!

More info about the chef and more recipes - www.LuciasTavola.com