Pumpkin Picking

When it comes to making pumpkin pie, as food historian Sandra Oliver points out in her story "Home Slice," not all of the variously colored and shaped pumpkins, gourds, and squashes available at this time of year are created equal. We were eager to see which ones work best, so we asked John Ackerman, who grows more than 160 varieties on Ackerman Farms in Morton, Illinois, to send us his most pie-friendly varieties—all of which can be found at farmers' markets and at Whole Foods around the country. Here is what we found out.

Credit: Todd Coleman

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The stout kabocha squash , with its tough peach-colored flesh, can be used in pie only if boiled. Roasting will not sufficiently tenderize the flesh and will make for a chalky consistency once the pumpkin is puréed.