8 Pro Tips for Easy Pumpkin Carving

Around this time of year, most of us bring out our craft skills and try to create our own jack-o-lantern masterpiece. But it’s not always as easy as it looks! Here are 8 expert carving tricks that will have your pumpkins looking great the whole season. Bonus … your home-carved creations will smell good, too!

1. START WITH THE RIGHT PUMPKINChoose one that is fresh, with no bruises, a healthy stem attached, and a flat bottom so it won’t slide around while you carve.

    

2. CUT THE LID ON AN ANGLEIf you cut on an angle instead of sawing straight up and down, the lid won’t drop inside the pumpkin when you put it on top. Using a slim boning knife is the best way to smoothly cut a clean angle.

    

3. REMOVE ALL THE PULP – AND THEN SOMEYou can buy special tools for this, but an ice cream scoop works just as well. Thin the inner wall of the pumpkin to 1 ¼-inch thick so it will be easier to pierce the shell.

    

4. HOLD THE PUMPKIN IN YOUR LAPIt’s easier to carve features when the face is gazing up at you.

   This time around, don’t cut on a slant as you did with the lid. Clean up-and-down slices make the best-looking face features. If you want to make intricate designs, purchase a kit with the small saws made for the task.

    

5. USE LEFTOVER SCRAPS TO ENHANCE YOUR DESIGNMake a tongue, pipe, or hair accessories out of a discarded piece of pumpkin shell, for example. You can easily tack pieces on with toothpicks inserted into the back of the add-on piece, then pressed into the pumpkin surface.

    

6. KEEP YOUR PUMPKIN FRESHSlather petroleum jelly on the cut edges to seal in moisture. If your pumpkin still shrivels a few days later, you can revive it with a face-down soak in cold water for up to 8 hours.

    

7. CREATE A CHIMNEY FOR CLEAN BURNINGSome pumpkin artists like to use the new LED candles that are drip- and heat-free. But if you’re using a regular candle, try this easy tip. First, leave the lid on for a few minutes while candle burns. Then make a small hole where the lid has blackened. This will allow heat and smoke to escape without harming your masterpiece.

    

8. SPRINKLE CINNAMON INSIDE THE LIDWhen you light the candle, your jack-o’-lantern will smell like a delicious pie … or even a pumpkin spice latte. YUM!

BUSINESS OR FAMILY GATHERING? CALL THE CATERING SERVICES PROS AT JERRY’S KITCHEN

Entertaining can be fun … but when you’re handling it all yourself, it can be stressful, too. Be a guest at your own celebration with help from the catering services experts at Jerry’s Kitchen.

We’ll bring everything to you with our award-winning food truck catering specialties – or, if you prefer, a traditional menu with fresh favorites to please all your guests. We have tasty options for everyone, including vegan and gluten-free options.

To book catering services or food trucks for your party near Doylestown or Philadelphia, get in touch with us today.

Source
Good Housekeeping