This Pumpkin Punch recipe brings back so many fond memories from my childhood. I vividly recall taking my thermos to school filled with pumpkin juice. All my friends would wonder what’s in it and when I told them I got a resounding “eeeewwww”. I can see how to a child’s brain that seemed like the worst thing they could imagine. After all, for must of us at that age we were probably forced to eat pumpkin with our dinners when we really didn’t want to. So imagine trying to drink it.
Pumpkin Punch giving me the feels!
Needless to say I had no such aversion. I absolutely loved it. I loved it for two main reasons. The first being that it’s delicious, creamy and smooth. It’s not too sweet but sweet enough that makes the earthy flavour fun and enjoyable. The second reason is, this was always made on a Sunday. Sunday’s were always special days for us especially relating to food. It was also the time that I bonded most with my mother.
It was on a Sunday afternoon after church and brunch that we would sit on our stools in the kitchen and make our Sunday dinner. She would teach me everything she knew about cooking, tell me stories of her childhood and we would listen to her favorite radio programme. It was such a special moment that still today means so much.
Pumpkin Punch was one of many unusual yet special and delicious things we would make. It’s probably not unusual in Jamaica as it’s part of our culture to make natural juices on Sunday’s. If pumpkin juice was part of your childhood then I hope this recipe will give you the warm nostalgic hug that it gave me. So let’s get juicing!
Pumpkin Punch, Creamy & Delicious.
Course: BeverageDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes30
minutesIngredients
0.495kg pumpkin.
2.5 cups Water (Pantry Item)
1/2 cup Condense Milk (Pantry Item)
1/8tsp. Cinnamon (Pantry Item)
1tsp. Vanilla extract (Pantry Item)
1/8tsp. Salt to taste, optional (if pumpkin was not boiled in salt water) (Pantry Item)
Directions
- Cut pumpkin to large squares and boil until soft.
- Cool for 2o minutes then remove pumpkin from the skin. This should give you around two cups mashed.
- Add pumpkin, cinnamon and water to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a large container and sweeten with condensed milk, salt and vanilla. Chill in the refrigerator.
- Serve with grated nutmeg and cinnamon on top.
Price Range: $500 JMD.(Price range based on type of supermarket, brand and season. Does not include Pantry Items and tax)
Eating in can be easy on the pocket yet just as fun and tasty as dining out. Enjoy!