What is it?

Save the hefty, perfectly shaped jack-o’-lantern varieties like Connecticut Field and Spirit for Halloween; their flesh is thin and stringy, with little flavor. But in the fall, farmers’ markets and pumpkin patches are brimming with heirloom varieties that are great for cooking, so watch for rare finds.

Local pumpkins will vary by region, but these are three relatively common types that make delicious eating. Most can be substituted for one another, unless a recipe calls for a specific type:

Sugar Pie (and the similar Baby Pam and New England Pie) These small, volleyball-size, thin-skinned, burnt-orange pumpkins are probably the most commonly found baking pumpkins. They have sweet, smooth flesh that tends to be firm and dry, so they’re especially good for pie. If you find one with stringy flesh, don’t bake or cook with it, because it will spoil the texture of the finished dish.

Casper Casper pumpkins are white on the outside and dark orange inside. They resemble the traditional jack-o’-lantern pumpkin in shape and tend to be heavy, at 10 to 20 pounds.

Marina di Chioggia (aka Chioggia Sea Pumpkin) This Italian heirloom pumpkin originally comes from Chioggia, near Venice. It’s a large (about 10 pounds), blue-green, bumpy, ridged pumpkin, with dense, meaty, yellow-orange flesh.

How to choose:

Look for pumpkins that are free of cracks and soft spots. Be sure to inspect both the stem and bottom ends. If you’re at a farmers’ market or pumpkin patch, ask the farmer if the pumpkins have been exposed to frost. If they have, they will spoil quickly.

How to store:

Most pumpkins can be stored, or cellared, in a cool, dark place for two to six months, depending on the variety. Arrange them in a single layer on top of a breathable surface such as cardboard or wood. Check on them every two weeks and immediately use (or discard) any that are starting to soften.

Recipes

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  Pumpkin Pineapple Mousse Pie

  Give traditional pumpkin pie a sweet, tropical twist with the addition of crushed pineapple and pineapple juice.

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  Radicchio and Pumpkin Risotto

  Radicchio gives the rice a lovely winey hue in this dish, and its bitterness balances the pumpkin’s sweetness. The word pumpkin here is used in the British sense--in other words,…

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  Classic Pumpkin Pie

  This pie has it all—a flaky, buttery crust and a creamy, spiced pumpkin filling. You can make the crust and even bake the pie before the big day, so there’s…

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  Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake

  Chocolate and pumpkin make a dramatic and delicious pairing in this stunning cheesecake. Don’t skip the honey whipped cream accompaniment; its slight tang complements the deep chocolate and spiced pumpkin…

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  Pumpkin-Ginger Tunnel Cake

  This not-too-sweet cake gets a double dose of ginger: dried ginger in the spice mix used to flavor the cake and finely diced crystallized ginger in the cake’s creamy filling.…

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  Spiced Pumpkin Bread Pudding

  The simplicity of this one-bowl dessert belies how satisfying it is. Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream and graciously accept all the compliments that come…

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  Bourbon-Caramel Pumpkin Tart

  From its dramatic straight sides to its bourbon-spiked caramel and crunchy pepita toppings, this gorgeous tart makes plain pumpkin pie pale in comparison. The recipe’s length may make it look…

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  Pumpkin Panna Cotta with Apple Cider Sauce

  Apples and pumpkin, two fall favorites, pair up in this elegant, light, silken dessert. The cider sauce is also wonderful over ice cream and on french toast or pancakes.

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  Turkey and Butternut Squash Chili with Apple-Cilantro Garnish

  With its orange color, this slightly sweet, mild chili is ideal for Super Bowl parties or Halloween, and it will please adults and kids alike. For variation, you can use…

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  Thai Tofu, Swiss Chard, and Sweet Potato Curry

  Serve this creamy, rich aromatic stew over brown rice; to jazz things up, enrich the grains with butter and lime zest. Since different brands of curry paste feature different levels…