Winter Luxury — even the name sounds decadent.

I was introduced to this wonderful pumpkin several years ago while having a conversation with longtime Backwoods Home Magazine writer Jackie Clay-Atkinson about which pumpkin made the best pies. I ordered some seeds from her that year, and Winter Luxury has been my go-to pumpkin ever since. I grow these pumpkins in the garden every year and preserve them for a years’ worth of pies, pumpkin breads, muffins, and whatever else I can put pumpkin puree in. I even like putting it in chili; it gives the chili a nice smoothed out, rich, earthy flavor. (If you want to order some seeds from Jackie, check out her website: www.seedtreasures.com)

Winter Luxury is an heirloom pumpkin that has a sweet, smooth flesh, making them perfect for pies. I have found one pumpkin to be about the right amount for four or five pies. To preserve the pumpkin flesh I cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and guts, and bake them cut side down on a cookie sheet with a lip (they do lose a bit of fluid as they bake). Bake at 350° F for about an hour in the oven (depending on size) until there is a bit of air between the skin and flesh of the pumpkin, and the pumpkin gives when you poke it with your finger.

To preserve any I’m not going to use right away I let the pumpkin cool then mash it up, put it in square freezer containers and place it in the freezer. Placing a little plastic wrap on top of the pumpkin before sealing the container helps it to keep in the freezer a little longer. Pumpkin puree keeps for about a year or so in the freezer, but mine has never lasted that long since I use it in a lot of different recipes.

In my opinion the best way to eat pumpkin is to make it into a pie! And I don’t believe pumpkin pie is just for the holidays — I will make it any time of year I get a craving for it.

My favorite pumpkin pie recipe: (makes two pies)

• 3 cups pureed pumpkin
• 1½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• ¼ tsp. ginger
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 Tbsp. flour (I use a gluten-free flour blend)
• 2 cups milk
• two 9-inch deep-dish pastry shells, chilled

Add spices to pumpkin puree and stir together. Beat the eggs and stir the sugar and flour into them. Mix with pumpkin mixture. Add milk and stir until well blended. Pour into unbaked pie shells and bake at 375° F until knife inserted in center comes out clean (about 1 hour). (If you’re feeling lazy you can also just dump all of the ingredients into your blender, whiz it up for a minute, and then pour it into your pie shells. This works especially well if you have an occasion to make multiple pies.)

For someone that absolutely loves pies, I was never that great at making pie crusts. Since I began eating gluten free I have yet to find a gluten-free pie crust that comes out decently, let alone great, but I continue experimenting and will find one eventually.