Top Ten Tips to Select And Carve A Pumpkin
2) Never carry a pumpkin by its stem, if it does break off you can use toothpicks as a basic patch. Try not to bruise it when bringing it home; this will shorten the pumpkin's life-span.
3) As a pumpkin dries out it shrinks a bit and a circular lid fall thru the hole at the top, cut a teardrop shape instead. Or cut the hole in the bottom and set a candle in a holder, on a plate, with the pumpkin placed on top. (cut a small vent hole in the top backside of the pumpkin to let out smoke.)
4) Use different size spoons for removing the seeds, pulp and skin. An ice-cream scoop and a large metal ladle are the best to scrap the inside of the pumpkin. (wash and dry the seeds, sprinkle with garlic salt and roast in the oven, yum!)
5) If you are using a stencil a poker tool is needed to transfer your designs onto the face of the pumpkin. A toothpick or nail works just as well as a store bought poker.
6) Use a long, thin bladed knife to cut the top hole and any large pieces out of the face of the pumpkin. A small paring knife with a very thin blade is best for fine detail work. Knives work best when sharp, and are safer because they require less force to make the necessary cuts.
7) Once you've removed all of the cut pieces, carefully trim the inside edges of the pumpkin of any excess flesh. This allows more light to come through and gives the details a sharper look.
8) Petroleum jelly seals the pumpkin to help slow down the dehydration process. Use a rubber glove when coating the eyes, nose, mouth and inside, it's less messy that way.
9) Use regular votive candles, placed in clear glass candleholder. Battery powered candles are a safer alternative to lighting Jack-O-Lanterns.
10) Never leave a lit candle unsupervised, or children unattended with a lit pumpkin. Make sure your home has a properly installed smoke detector with fresh batteries, and a fire extinguisher that everyone in the house knows how to use. Never use a lit candle in an artificial pumpkin.
