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Great Pumpkins

As I mentioned in the comments of the pumpkin muffin post, I love all things pumpkin. To demonstrate my dedication to this tasty fall treat and share with others the pumpkin possibilities, I herewith offer some of my recent pumpkin finds. [I reserve the right to revise and extend this post as I eat my way around town.]

Pumpkin Eclair from Metropolitan Bakery ~ Why didn't I think to photograph this beautiful pastry before I ate it the other day? It was the perfect mix of earthy and elegant—definitely not your average home-style dessert. Great pumpkin flavor in the custard.

Pumpkin Soup at Triumph Brewery ~ I've been wanting a meal of beer and soup for over a week (i.e., about as long as it's been raining here in Philadelphia), and I finally got it at Triumph Brewery in Princeton on Thursday. That Pumpkin was the soup of the day was great news; even better was that it was vegetarian. (For some reason, many restaurants feel the need to "flavor" what would otherwise be incredibly tasty vegetable soups with chicken stock.) I ordered a bowl of soup and a half-pint of the Oktoberfest. I preferred Rock Bottom's version of the martzen, but the soup was very good: Thick and savory with a strong pumpkin flavor. I usually like dunking bread in pumpkin soup (OK, any thick/creamy soup) and was at first sad I hadn't been offered any, but the soup portion was so large and the consistency so thick that I didn't really need bread.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies from Fisher's Bakery in the Kingston PA Dutch Farmers Market ~ You can get pumpkin whoopie pies at the PA Dutch bakeries in the Reading Terminal Market and at the market in Cockeysville, MD, but the ones at Fisher's get my vote for the best ever. The pumpkin cakes are perfect, and the filling is just sweet enough.

Pumpkin Torte from Glick's Salads ~ Again, you can get versions of this pumpkin dessert (which might be called Pumpkin Delight instead of Pumpkin torte; I can never remember the exact name) at the salad/deli/cheese stand in any PA Dutch market, but I like the one at Glick's best. It's like a cross between pumpkin pie and pumpkin pudding, with a cheesecake/Jell-O hybrid layer between the pumpkin part and the graham cracker crust. OK, I realize this sounds weird, but it's yummy—and it's only available through Thanksgiving. Get it while you can!