Dig into squash

With the recent culinary bombshell that canned pumpkin isn’t really pumpkin but a variety of winter squashes, it’s the perfect time to explore cucurbits. Forget all that pumpkin spice seasonal hoo-ha and dig into a real jack-o’-lantern. Most pumpkins actually have watery flesh with stringy textures, so they’re not the best for pies. Little sugar pie pumpkins pack a smoother interior better suited to baking. Small baby bears work well as soup. And if you use butternut squash to make your holiday pie, no one will be the wiser.