Pumpkin Carving 101

Halloween is quickly approaching and it's time to stock up on candy, pick out costumes and find the perfect pumpkin to carve a face into. But before you start pulling out pumpkin guts, a little pumpkin carving preparation will go a long way in making the perfect jack-o-lantern.

The Pumpkin Patch You want a pumpkin that feels hardy and doesn't have any soft spots. A little dirt is okay; you can clean the pumpkin with water and a mild detergent. A pumpkin with a good stem is preferred but not required. Cradle the pumpkin while carrying to avoid breaking the stem. Prepare for Carving Before you start digging into your pumpkin, lay out several newspaper pages to catch loose pumpkin guts and seeds. To aid in gutting, use an ice cream scoop or metal ladle. Also, a spoon with a serrated edge will help immensely in scraping the inside wall of your pumpkin. You'll want a few knives at your disposal for the pumpkin carving as well. The pros recommend a thin, long, and sharp boning knife for carving out the top and any large holes, and a sharpened paring knife for more detailed work. You'll also want a cutting saw for finer carving. An X-Acto knife with a keyhole saw attachment is great for accomplishing this task. For transferring designs from paper to pumpkin, you'll want pins of some sort. Even corn on the cob pins will work great. Alternatively, you can use a grease pencil to draw your design directly onto the pumpkin and begin cutting without the hassle of keeping paper in place on your pumpkin. Pumpkin Carving Pumpkin carving is one of the most fun activities families can do together. Children simultaneously love and are disgusted by pulling out pumpkin innards; mothers and fathers can salt and bake pumpkin seeds and offer them as an October treat, and everyone loves carving a scary face into their jack-o-lantern. If the stem is still attached, cut diagonally into the top of the pumpkin. Make the opening large enough for gutting and for dropping a candle or pumpkin light. If the stem has been broken, then cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin. Next comes the gutting. This tends to be very dirty work, so have rags for cleaning your hands and arms available, as well as a trashcan for quick disposal of the innards. Once the pumpkin insides are clean, create a design for your jack-o-lantern. Transfer your picture from paper to pumpkin, or use that grease pencil you picked up at the arts and crafts store. Take your time carving the pumpkin. One wrong cut and you'll be piecing pumpkin bits together with toothpicks or altering your design altogether. Drop a candle or an electric light in your newly carved pumpkin, and enjoy your wicked creation!