Pumpkin soup is a usually 'bound' (thick) soup made from a purée of pumpkin. It is made by combining the meat of a blended pumpkin with broth or stock. It can be served hot or cold, and is a common

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...

dish in the United States. Various versions of the dish are known in many European countries, the United States and other areas of North America, in Asia and in Australia. Pumpkin soup was a staple for the prisoners of war in

North Vietnam North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...

ese prison camps during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

. Squash soup is a soup prepared using

squash Squash may refer to: Sports * Squash (sport), the high-speed racquet sport also known as squash racquets * Squash (professional wrestling), an extremely one-sided match in professional wrestling * Squash tennis, a game similar to squash but pla ...

as a primary ingredient. Squash used to prepare the soup commonly includes acorn and

butternut squash Butternut squash ('' Cucurbita moschata''), known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma, is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin an ...

Preparation

Squash that has initially been separately roasted can be used in soup preparation. The roasting of squash can serve to concentrate the gourd's flavor. Squash soup can be prepared with chunks or pieces of squash and also with

purée A purée (or mash) is cooked food, usually vegetables, fruits or legumes, that has been ground, pressed, blended or sieved to the consistency of a creamy paste or liquid. Purées of specific foods are often known by specific names, e.g., apple ...

d squash. Pre-cooked, frozen squash can also be used, as can commercially prepared packets of pre-cooked frozen squash purée. Butternut squash soup may have a sweet flavor, due to the sugars present in the squash. Additional basic ingredients in squash soup's preparation can include

broth Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups, ...

, onion, cream, spices such as sage and thyme, salt and pepper. Other recipes have been known to include split peas and more exotic spices such as cumin and cinnamon. Pumpkin soup can be served hot or cold, and is a popular

dish in the United States.

History

A variety of pumpkin soup originated in Haiti during their independence. Designed to be a statement to french colonists that the Haitian people could work together to create something. The traditional version of pumpkin soup is called Soup joumou. Pumpkin "pies" made by early American colonists had more similarities to being a savory soup served in a pumpkin than a sweet custard in a crust. Pumpkin soup was a staple for the prisoners of war in

ese prison camps during the

. Squash soup is a soup in

African cuisine African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

. It is a part of the cuisine of

Northern Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...

, and the cuisines of Mozambique and Namibia, both of which are located in

Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number o ...

. Squash soup is also served in other countries and is a part of other cuisines. Soup Joumou is traditionally consumed in Haiti on New Year's Day (January 1), as a historical tribute to Haitian independence in 1804.

Gallery

File:Crema de calabaza.JPG, Pumpkin soup File:Cucurbita maxima Zapallo Plomo semillería Costanzi - 2014 08 01 - squash A soup 4.JPG, Squash soup File:Harefield, Harefield, London (3363509227).jpg, Roasted butternut squash soup File:Tomato_Pumpkin_Soup_(32881733498).jpg, Tomato pumpkin soup

Preparation

History

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading