Author: Carma Spence

Carma Spence has been experimenting in the kitchen since she was four years old and loves trying out new recipe ideas. She is the author of Bonkers for Bundt Cakes and Your Perfect Pie, as well as author and contributor to several more non-food-related books. With Carma's Cookery, she is taking her passion for empowering people and blending it with her passion for cooking, gift-giving and entertaining.

Food Fiction & Essays

Movie and a Hot Fudge Sundae

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date July 11, 2007

Daniel Wiedemann via PhotoXpress.com

Movies and food: a topic I think everyone can expound on. For some, a movie just isn’t a movie without the popcorn. Others need a box of Goobers and a large Coke. For me, it’s going to the ice cream parlor for a hot fudge sundae after the show.

Hot Fudge Associations

I’m not sure why, but I’ve always associated ice cream with the movies. After exiting a movie theater, I feel compelled to migrate to the nearest ice cream shop to indulge in a two-scoop sundae. Maybe it’s because there was an ice cream shop near every movie theater in my hometown.

I remember, every time my parents took my sister and me to the movies, we would go for ice cream afterward. I was partial to Jamocha Almond Fudge and Chocolate ice cream, slathered in hot fudge and adorned with whipped cream, chopped almonds, and a maraschino cherry. And, if we were lucky, a tasty, flaky cookie would jut out of the side of the whipped cream dollop on top, hinting at the cone we were missing out on. This is a signature of Swenson’s, which is no longer around my hometown (but might be around yours).

Forming Hot Fudge Habits

When I was growing up, the after-movie jaunt to the ice cream parlor was as much a part of the movie-going experience as the family-sized bucket of hot buttered popcorn. It was such an unconscious, intertwined part of the whole affair that when I went to the movies for the first time with someone outside of my family, I was shocked to discover that other people did not feel the same way!

However, the lure of discussing the intricacies of film over a tall glass of ice cream made many a convert to my family’s tradition.

New Habits … but Memories Live On

Nowadays I don’t go to the theater — I wait for movies to come out on DVD and watch them on my surround sound system. This way I don’t have to deal with gum at the bottom of my shoes, people discussing the movie while it’s playing or the rising costs of movie tickets.

But the tradition lives on. When my husband and I sit down to a movie, we pop a bag of popcorn in the microwave. And, after the movie is complete, we go to the freezer, take out a couple of pints of Ben & Jerry’s and dish about the intricacies of the film at our dining table.

Tags hot fudge, Ice Cream, sundae

Food Fiction & Essays

The Aroma of Coffee

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date July 4, 2007

For some reason, food pops up in a lot of my fiction

I wrote this one for a CoffeeBeanShop.com competition on “Love and Coffee”:
“Aroma of Coffee”
Alas, CoffeeBeanShop.com no longer exists, so I moved the story to my fiction and poetry webiste.

Tags coffee, fiction

All Things Pumpkin

The Versatility of Pumpkins

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date March 6, 2006

What I like best about pumpkins is how versatile they are. Like most winter squash, it is nearly impossible to overcook a pumpkin. Because they have a mild flavor, the seasonings you use determine the taste of your dish.

Pumpkins can be found in recipes for main dishes, side dishes, desserts, beverages and more. You can serve them steamed, roasted, boiled, sautéed, baked, stuffed and added to numerous sauces, soups and more. I’ve got more than 300 recipes I’m testing for A Passion for Pumpkins.

Most people associate pumpkins with Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, but I have to admit my favorite pumpkin recipes are savory, not sweet. One of the recipes that will be featured in the A Passion for Pumpkins is a curried lentil dish with chunks of pumpkin in it. Another is a curried pumpkin soup that is the perfect accompaniment to a sandwich on a cold, winter day.

Want a little extra fiber in your diet? Add pumpkin! This may sound strange, but I’ve been giving my dog a tablespoon of pumpkin with each meal and she no longer suffers from constipation!

I made a really good stew this weekend that I think would be great with pumpkin chunks. In a slow cooker, I combined one can of low fat condensed cream of chicken soup, one packet of onion soup mix and two and a half cans (from the cream of chicken soup) water. I mixed it up then tossed in some frozen chicken thighs and some sweet potato. I let it cook on low for 8-10 hours. And boy was it ever good! Next time, I’ll try it with pumpkin. Mmmmmm, yum.

Tags pumpkin

All Things Pumpkin

Weather Affects Quality of Pumpkins

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date February 5, 2006

“The ideal climate for growing pumpkins lies 4-5 degrees north and south of the 45th parallel,” says Joe Ailts of SeedOutlet.com. “Climates in these areas have sunny warm summers, with an appreciable amount of rain from May through September.” They also don’t get frost in July. In addition, pumpkins thrive when the relative humidity is about 60%.

But, you can’t guarantee the weather and when things stray from the ideal or even the norm, crops can be adversely affected. In regions that have experienced heavy rainfall, pumpkins are particularly affected by Phytophthora blight, according to The American Phytopathological Society.

Phytophthora blight “has been described as the ‘most destructive disease of cucurbits’ because ‘nothing causes greater loss’,” says Margaret Tuttle McGrath of Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center. “Total crop loss has occurred in some fields.”

So, as a cook, how does all this affect you? Well, if you’re going to use fresh pumpkin in your recipes, you’ll need to know what to look out for when choosing your pumpkin. Here are few tips offered by The American Phytopathological Society.

Check for moldy areas or soft spots and be sure to check the bottom.
Healthy stems are green and can support the weight of the pumpkin, so be sure to test the stems.
Only use orange pumpkins — yellow ones are not mature and will not have the right flavor.
When storing the pumpkin, before cutting, keep it in a dry, shaded place.

Tags growing food, pumpkins

All Things Pumpkin Cooking Techniques Well Stocked Pantry

Pumpkins Throughout the Year

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date January 22, 2006

Back in the day, Native Americans cut pumpkins into rings and hung them out to dry so that they would have a supply throughout the winter. Today, we just need to go to the local grocery store and buy a can.

I’ve tried both Libby’s and the generics, but I find that Libby’s gives me a more consistent flavor and texture.

If you’re contemplating making your own pumpkin pureé from fresh pumpkin, you can do so for a bit longer than pumpkin season. A whole pumpkin can be stored on the kitchen shelf for one month and in the refrigerator for one to four months. And, once made into pumpkin pureé, it can then be stored in the freezer for up to one year!

Tags pumpkin

All Things Pumpkin Well Stocked Pantry

Picking Your Pumpkin

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date January 4, 2006

When picking a fresh pumpkin for your recipes, chose a sugar pumpkin over the common pumpkin used for jack-o-lanterns. This pumpkin will be smaller and tends to have a more burnt orange color.

You want to look for one that is firm and has a smooth, dull, hard skin. Make sure there are no soft spots and get one with an intact stem – this will help it keep longer before you cut it.

If the pumpkin feels heavy for its size, then it will have more flesh, and therefore will make more pumpkin puree for your recipes.

Pumpkin season is October through December, but I’ve noticed that grocery stores stop selling them after Halloween. You’ll have to investigate your local grocery stores to see if they’ll have them out for longer. Or, take your business to your local pumpkin farm. You can find a listing of farms at the University of Illinois’ Pumpkins & More website.

Tags pumpkin

All Things Pumpkin Special Occasions

What to Do with Slimy Pumpkin Pulp

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date December 4, 2005

One of my favorite things about jack-o-lantern carving is pulling out the pumpkin’s pulp. I love the way the seeds squish and squirm about in my hands. I get to experience this same pleasure when preparing pumpkins, squash, and gourds for something I’m cooking. However, this festive pulp can do a real number on your plumbing if you don’t dispose of it properly (when you’re done playing with it, of course).

“The slimy pulp coats the inside walls of your pipes and garbage disposal,” says Paul Abrams, spokesman for Roto-Rooter, “then it hardens and chokes your drains.”

Roto-Rooter recommends carving pumpkins far away from the kitchen sink. Do this fun family task on a thick bed of old newspapers. Then, when your masterpiece is complete, you can just roll all the newspapers up, along with all the leftover pumpkin parts and threw it away in the trash. Never put the sticky, stringy pumpkin pulp down the drain, even if you have a garbage disposal.

Tags pumpkin, pumpkin pulp