Topic: Giant edible seeds in any size of pumpkin

[Vinlander]

I've said before I value the seeds as the best part of a pumpkin, and if we accept a good flavour as given, the next most important factor is a good-sized seed to justify the work needed to get at them.

I've never been impressed by the taste of hull-less seeds either.

I used to grow a big blue pumpkin called Cerrano (from S America - Ecuador highlands?). It had the biggest seeds I've ever seen - mostly around 30mm long and the usual thickness etc.

Unfortunately after about 4 generations it suffered sudden loss of germination - and Chiltern no longer sell it.

I have read that 'Rouge Vif D'Etampes' has very large seeds - has anyone tried it? size and flavour?  or any other 30mm types?

Cheers.

[chriscross1966]

I've got soem Rouge Vif d'Etampes to grow this year.... there's nothing unusual about the seeds, normal  Cucurbita maxima as far as I can tell..... the Atlantic Giants on the other hand are immense.....

BTW, are you sure it was caleld Cerrano, I can find no mention of it at all on the internet beyond one of the cucurbita species (and it's pretty rare), it's not coming up as a varietal name for any of the cultivated species...

chrisc

[Vinlander]

Yes Cerrano is really rare - I've looked for it everywhere. I found only one place that had the right description but they were out of stock and had been for years - their info was nearly as old as when I bought them last.

When I last bought Atlantic Giant - maybe twenty years ago - the 5 seeds I got in the packet ranged from large to very ordinary. I stopped growing it because the flesh flavour wasn't great - and I had no way to eat the whole thing in a week. I can't remember what the seeds tasted like.

I suppose I could try crossing it with a flavour type...

[Sparkly]

How do you prepare the seeds for eating vinlander?

[Vinlander]

How do you prepare the seeds for eating vinlander?

Sorry to disappoint, but I simply dry them, then I bite them edgewise so the shell opens and then I extract the seed and eat it.

I like them roasted but I don't often bother.

The flavour of the best ones is so good they are irresistible, and the big seeds aren't too fiddly so it's possible to get a good snack without dying of boredom.

Ordinary pre-hulled shop ones are nothing like as good but I do use them to make pumpkin seed flour (in a coffee grinder) which can be used @ 20% to make delicious bread (slightly green unless you add paprika).

I also make pumpkin seed butter from the flour as a change from peanut butter or satay, and I have been known to make a mock guacamole with it when the avocado runs out.

Cheers.

Oh, sometimes I rub the seeds after I dry them to get rid of the annoyingly flyaway membrane that appears when the slime dries. That's it.

[Jeannine]

Hi Vinlander, I have searched my own records and have come up with more than 50 blues but yours is not  obviously there  but still maybe under a differnt name,so questions..

Can you describe the shape, size, and bumps etc on skin, even shades of colour might help , stripes or markings.Colour of seeds and approx size if you can.. what was the flavourof flesh  like, eg excellent, best in soups, sweet, nutty etc, colour of flesh,

these are very obvious the wrong spellings but first off...chioggia.chirimen,calabaza
calabacin,kururu(sometimes spelt with a c) seigurrino.

Amount of seed  inside compared to usual fruit..

If you are looking for a replacement and is primarily for seeds rather than flesh , think about the Mixta types, now called Argyosperma,  bred specifically for seeds and not naked ( the words squash and pumpkin cross over in some countries so I am putting them together ) One  springs immediately to mind.Very large seeds, easy to pop open and many of them, but the flavour of the flesh is poor, mind you there is very little of it to worry about.  the one I am thinking of has several names  but I think you would find it under Silverseed or Silveredge. Try  Revolution seeds.

I like a good squash mystery.

XX Jeannine

[Hector]

not the same one but could this be useful? Wondered if also worthwhile writing to Chilterns re the other one, in case they have a small amount that's too small to put in catalogue?
http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/chilternseeds/moreinfo/d/pumpkin+nuts+peel+less+pumpkin/pid/31500143

edit to add, see if this helps. I searched under naked seed pumpkin
http://www.seedman.com/pumpkins.htm

[Jeannine]

I believe he said he did not like the naked ones XX Jeannine

[Hector]

ah, I am being a bit dense...hadn't linked naked with hull-less. The people who had this house/garden before us gardened hull-less :D

[Jeannine]

How do you know?

XX Jeannine

[Hector]

First week we moved in a neighbour came to door and asked if we intended to wander the garden nekkid. Then the binmen asked us the same question. It is very windy here,and we are still fighting brambles and bracken so braver souls than I!

[Jeannine]

Vinlander, one of the  plants I wanted to suggest but didn't as it is hard to find it TOURS. Today I got a US seedsavers catolgue and they are in there, very large seeds.

XX Jeannine

[Wortle]

I dont expect the seeds are giant but Tuckers & other people are are doing "Baby Bear" which seems to be recommended for edible no fuss seeds

[Vinlander]

Vinlander, one of the  plants I wanted to suggest but didn't as it is hard to find it TOURS. Today I got a US seedsavers catolgue and they are in there, very large seeds.

XX Jeannine

Thanks - I'll look into them for next year...

Cheers.

[Vinlander]

I dont expect the seeds are giant but Tuckers & other people are are doing "Baby Bear" which seems to be recommended for edible no fuss seeds

No fuss normally means hull-less, though I looked it up and they are described as semi-hull-less.

That might be a good sign - I'm always concerned if they breed for perfection in some odd direction - it almost always means flavour is taking a back seat.

Cheers.

[goodlife]

Hi Vilander...Have you tried Lady Godiva and Styrian Hulless?..I've just ordered some from Kokopelli's cataloque...for next year..
I don't know how large the seed is in those..but both are for seed 'only'...
If/when they come I'm sure there will be spare for future swaps... ;)

[Vinlander]

I think Lady Godiva and Triple Treat were the two I tried and found they were very similar and no better flavour than the chinese ones you can buy in the shops (very cheap and make a nice alternative to peanut butter if you grind them up).

On the other hand I can't be absolutely sure both germinated that year in the 80s (I was less interested in making careful labels and careful studies when I was just a beginner).

The styrian ones are what they toast and use to make the delicious oil - fantastic on rice salad but sadly becoming very hard to source at any sensible price (under £15 a litre) since it became last year's fad about 2 years ago.

I've got some hull-less Kakai seed to try if I could only find it before it is too late...

Cheers.