The 200-Year-Old History Behind Why We Carve Pumpkins

  • 📰 Food52
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 41 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 20%
  • Publisher: 63%

United States Headlines News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

And how the unassuming turnip played a major role.

The first Jack-o'-Lantern wasn't actually a pumpkin at all—he was a man named Stingy Jack who invited the Devil out for a drink and then conned him into paying for it. Emboldened, perhaps, by the Devil's fury—we can only speculate about the myriad why's in this legend—Jack cons the Devil yet again, dies, and is promptly banished from both Heaven and Hell with only a burning piece of coal set inside of a carved turnip to guide his way.

Jack of the Lantern, the Irish's first name for this wandering ghoul, eventually became Jack O'Lantern, and 19th-Century Irish and Scottish people started setting out their own turnips, potatoes, and"" carved with scary faces to ward him away from their homes. Irish immigrants brought the tradition stateside, finding that local pumpkins lent themselves quite well to the task.

Besides teaching a few very good lessons, such as pay for your own drink and do not punk the devil, the story of Stingy Jack might also inspire you to shake up your carving game.This article was updated in October 2021 to provide even more background. On our new weekly podcast, two friends separated by the Atlantic take questions and compare notes on everything from charcuterie trends to scone etiquette.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 113. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Kendall Jenner Jokes She Feels 'Personally Attacked' by Devin BookerKendall Jenner's boyfriend, Devin Booker, takes pumpkin carving VERY seriously.
Source: etnow - 🏆 696. / 51 Read more »

Kendall Jenner Reacts After Boyfriend Devin Booker Calls Out Her Pumpkin Carving Skills - E! OnlineKendall Jenner may be able to Keep Up with the Halloween spirit, but not jack-o'-lanterns! Boyfriend Devin Booker hilariously called out Kendall's carving skills ahead of Halloween. this is so important Who cares They are soo cuteee 🥺
Source: enews - 🏆 466. / 52 Read more »

How to Carve a Photo Into a PumpkinIt's time to make your Halloween Pinterest board a reality!
Source: seriouseats - 🏆 410. / 53 Read more »

How the FBI Discovered a Real-Life Indiana Jones in, of All Places, Rural IndianaDon Miller was beloved by his community, hosted the boy scouts, and claimed to have detonated the first atomic bomb. Then the FBI discovered an entire museum—and thousands of human remains—in the 90-year-old’s basement. Stonekettle UHG! Stonekettle “Why are you taking my Indians?” omg. Stonekettle Amazing story...Wonder if it could be made into a mini-series?
Source: VanityFair - 🏆 391. / 55 Read more »

Emma Raducanu on Becoming Dior’s Newest AmbassadorThe 18-year-old tennis champion tells ‘Vogue’ why joining the house of Dior felt like the perfect fit. EmmaRaducanu Dior Nice 👌
Source: VogueRunway - 🏆 705. / 51 Read more »

Yeasted Pumpkin Bread RecipeEnjoy a seasonal twist on traditional sandwich bread with this yeasted pumpkin loaf.
Source: seriouseats - 🏆 410. / 53 Read more »