We're back to celebrating Halloween by going out and partying in costume, or with the kids trick-or-treating. And since Sortiraparis loves Halloween, we've come up with a few activities to help you get in the mood at home.
And one of the must-haves is of course the digging pumpkin, THE symbol of this festival of Anglo-Celtic origin, exported to the United States and then imported to France a few years ago . So, for those of you who've never dug a pumpkin before and would like to take advantage of this new confinement to keep the kids busy over the All Saints' Day weekend, we've put together a step-by-step DIY tutorial to create the most terrifying pumpkin for Halloween.
How to carve a beautiful pumpkin for Halloween:
Head to the supermarket, with your certificate, to buy a pumpkin. Size doesn't really matter, but larger pumpkins are easier to decorate and carve.
Using a marker (or felt-tip pen), draw the shape you want to carve on the face of your pumpkin. You can use a pattern, a tracing paper or, if you're feeling artistic, create your own design.
Using a knife, cut off the top of the pumpkin to make a hat, being careful to angle the knife. To do this, push your knife in at an angle, then work your way around your pumpkin at the same angle. If you cut straight down, the pumpkin hat won't hold.
Remove the seeds first, using a spoon for most of the work, then by hand for the rest. Don't hesitate to use a melon scoop if you have one to finish the job. You can keep the seeds, which can be prepared as an aperitif (blanch them, then pan-fry or bake them with salt and spices).
Carve the pumpkin with your knife, following the lines of the marker/pen. Note that if you opt for a face (eyes and mouth) as a motif, don't hesitate to carve the mouth in several stages, gradually removing the pieces to be removed. A task not necessarily recommended for children.
Once you've finished carving your pumpkin, the result is still a bit rough on the inside. Use your knife to refine the details, enlarging the openings over the eyes and mouth (if you choose this motif) so that the light from a candle can shine through and make the whole thing pretty. Don't hesitate to remove as much flesh as possible from the inside of the pumpkin to homogenize the whole, and save it for making soup.
Once you're satisfied with the result, place a candle (available in stores) at the bottom of your pumpkin. When evening comes, light it.
Happy Halloween, everyone!
