Alert! Alert! Central Florida and other parts of the US affected by massive pumpkin shortage as we near Thanksgiving.To illustrate the ripples this shortage has created in the reality of holiday bakers, let me set a scene for you. Picture me with armfuls of groceries at the Winter Park Village Publix searching the fresh produce, baking products, and canned fruits aisles frantically with darting eyes, hair piled atop my head flopping in cadence with my stomping, stern gate, and gaped mouth stunned that I can not find nary one can of Libby Pumpkin Puree. In a full tizzy, I yank on the sleeve of a lovely produce re-stocker (not my proudest moment) begging him to fill me in on the pumpkin situation. Gently he tells me of a massive freeze in the Midwest depleting the fall harvests. Freeze in the Midwest? I have heard of no such thing, but perhaps my abrasive approach encouraged the young man to do anything to get the crazy baking lady away from him as soon as humanly possible including falsifying a weather emergency.
After seeking out more pumpkin puree in more Publix establishments and other area markets, I settled for the one carton of pumpkin pie mix I could find and stretched it for two desserts, mocha pumpkin brownies and raspberry walnut streusel pumpkin bread. Yet, due to the pumpkin shortage I am not planning on any additional pumpkin dishes for the up-and-coming Thanksgiving holiday. If this has happened to me, than it is most certain all Orlando area bakers are feeling the pinch of the Fall 2009 Pumpkin Shortage Fallout.
How in tarnation did this shortage come to be? To find out the answer to this pumpkin mystery please read on in my examiner.com/orlando article: http://ww.examiner.com/x-14532-Orlando-Food-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Puree-pumpkin-shortage-problem-or-prospect
7 comments:
LOL - I am growing some pumpkins on a trellis. BUT they won't be ready for Thanksgiving. That's what I get for planting them in August. I've set my phone to remind me next year to plant earlier. Glad I found your site. Looking forward to reading your back log. I'm a UCF grad student in Digital Media and my wife and I author www.ALocalFolkus.com. Take care.
LOL - I saw your tweets today and wondered what you were working on!!! I have never heard of a massive freeze in the Midwest either!!
I've heard about this but in Virginia we seem to be unaffected. Going over to examiner to read your article.
Lots of canned varieties here in Ft Myers. Maybe everyone here is a last minute Charley! Shame on you for scaring the young man stocking produce :)
I haven't bought my canned pumpkin for my pumpkin cheesecake yet. I wonder if I should be worried right now?!?
There was PLENTY of Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin cans at the APOPKA Walmart Supercenter. The management there told me they have not had too much of a problem of running out. I stocked up and bought 6-7 cans just to be on the safe side.
Thanksgiving is all about pumpkin recipes huh! And you did well and at least fully utilized them at once.
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