Welcome To New York’s Pumpkin Party!
One of the great things about New York is how the entire city embraces Halloween with a month of parties, food and fun…including this special treat that happened last night:
Central Park had an early Halloween celebration on Oct. 30th by putting on an aquatic parade – with floating pumpkins!
Everyone was encouraged to bring their own jack-o’-lantern to float in the parade, encouraged to submit pumpkins that were approximately 8 lbs. after it had been carved up. Here’s what it was like a few years ago:
Participants were told to include the lid and make sure not to use any decorations that were unnatural such as paint, glitter, marker, food dye, paper, or plastic – to avoid polluting the Harlem Meer or harming the wildlife. Candles and lights to illuminate the pumpkins were also provided by Central Park!
I hope to attend this next year…perhaps a way to get rid of some of my own decorative gourds:
Again a fun night in the city, and it made me think about what to do with leftover pumpkins and all kinds of gourds, like the ones I always put out in a bowl for the month:
It made me want to share this recipe I found for pumpkin bread from TheKitchn.com, always a great source for terrific recipes!
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
PREP TIME10 minutes
COOK TIME is 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes
MAKES1 (9×5-inch) loaf
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- Place the sugar, pumpkin purée, oil, and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth and combined. Add the pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds, then gently press them into the batter to ensure they stick.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 65 to 75 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
RECIPE NOTES
Storage: The pumpkin bread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. It can also be wrapped in aluminum foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or in a 300°F oven for 20 minutes.
And if you need a last minute suggestion for a Halloween costume, I say you can always go as your favorite fast food Ambassador!
Well, doesn’t that look appealing!
I actually found a number of great food costumes you can wear and you can see them all here!
I also shared some of my favorite recipes for Halloween – but not sure if anyone really appreciated them, so here’s a cut fun and easy Halloween cookie that won’t scare anyone away:
On my other blog, I shared some amazing New York brownstone Halloween decorations – check this out!
This city really loves to dress up for the season – see more pics and videos here!
And it’s the season for all things “Pumpkin Spice”, including the food item that gets no respect: Spam!
Yes, I bought it and I cooked from it – and you can do!
Click here for truly delicious Pumpkin Spice Spam bread!
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Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Food, Food Pictures, Food Porn, Food Travel, Recipes, Travel, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
Oh, how fun and beautiful! I don’t enjoy city traffic and millions of people, but I do miss out on fun events like this one! Love those costumes!
Thanks! New York really loves this time of year that’s for sure!
What a wonderful event! I love pumpkin bread too. So may give this one a go.
I’m not much of a fan but this recipe sounded really good! Thanks for commenting!
And I’m one of those weird people who don’t like pumpkin pie!
I’m not a huge fan but would have a bite on Thanksgiving!
Hi John, what a great display, it must be amazing to see 🎃
The entire city comes alive for Halloween season – and tonight the West Village has a huge costume bash, taking over the streets! Thanks for the comment!
Wow, this is really cool. The pumpkin bread looks wonderful
I rarely bake but this one interested me! Thanks for commenting!
the pumpkin event is amazing. and I am a food of all pumpkin food, just not a fan of fake pumpkin spice everything -)
I like the idea of the floating pumpkins, and it is good to see how NYC goes crazy for Halloween. It passed almost unnoticed here in Beetley, once the trick-or-treat kids were all in bed by 8pm.
Best wishes, Pete.