Dianavan's story about the exploding pumpkin is a very moving one. I'm impressed by the six and nine-year-olds who helped their friends in pain.

Here's an easy way to pierce a pumpkin or squash before roasting it whole. Drill a hole in it with a corkscrew intended for wine. Be sure to drill in as far as the corkscrew will go, then pull out some flesh to make a small hole. This is much safer than trying to make a hole with a knife while the pumpkin tries to roll away from you.

I make pumpkin pie using the method in the Joy of Cooking. I make the filling in a double boiler and pour it into a baked pie shell just before serving. The taste is wonderful - fresh and fruity. A pumpkin is a fruit, after all.