100th Episode: Listeners, Tell Us Your Faves!

It’s October and Stefin and Andrea are marveling at the fact that their 100th episode and 2nd anniversary is fast approaching in November. The hosts want to know: What’s been your favorite bake-along over the last 100 episodes? This can be one you’ve tried and loved, or one you fully intend to whip up but haven’t tackled yet. Or maybe you just really enjoyed a particular episode! Drop an email to hosts@preheatedpodcast.com, or head over the Preheated Facebook group page and look for the post there.

New Events Page Goes Live on Website

Speaking of events, have you seen the new Events page on our website? Take a look at the fun recap and delightful pictures from our first event, Pies & Prosecco! And be sure to let Stefin and Andrea know what type of events you’re most interested in: Cooking classes or demos? A cookbook, gadget, or recipe swap? Shoot them an email at hosts@preheatedpodcast.com.

Classy Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffin: A Preheated First?

Time to get down to business with October’s chief ingredient: Pumpkin! The hosts are inspired by the classy, classic Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffin from Sally’s Baking Addiction. (Which may be Preheated’s first official muffin recipe!) Stefin’s hoping for a professional “bakery style” muffin. But before the bake-along starts, Andrea’s got a few muffin-baking questions, and Stefin’s happy to share her thoughts on mini vs. standard vs. jumbo muffin tins (all three can be fun, just be sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly); freezing muffins (Stefin does it all the time with heartier muffins, and thinks the taste and texture stand up well); and the perennial muffin liner or cooking spray debate (use whatever you prefer but note that some liners may impact cooking time, which means that “mixing and matching” liners and spray within one tin could be problematic).

Canned vs. Fresh Pumpkin Puree

All month long, do take care if you plan to sub canned pumpkin puree for fresh, as the texture is usually more watery. If you’re a pro and prefer using homemade puree, then by all means go for it. But if you’re just starting out, be prepared to experiment before you get the texture and consistency right. And if you are buying canned pumpkin, remember to look for “100% Pure Pumpkin” on the label — not the prepared pumpkin pie filling, which usually sits right next door on the shelf!

Pumpkin Trivia!

That sorted, the duo take a jog into the pumpkin patch to learn all about this most iconic fall squash. Impress your friends this season with some fun pumpkin trivia:

There are 45 varieties of this famous squash, but the word “pumpkin” didn’t come into regular use in the English language until it was used in the classic fairy tale Cinderella in the 17th century.

Today, a pumpkin is a standard for Halloween jack-o-lanterns. But throughout history, people have also used turnips, beets (what a mess!) and potatoes.

The world’s heaviest pumpkin (to date) was grown in 2016 by Belgian Mathias Willemijns, and weighed in at over 2,600 pounds. The heaviest pumpkin category, unlike many Guinness World Records, turns over frequently!

A typical pumpkin produces about 500 seeds. (Click here for Stefin’s favorite BBQ roasted seed recipe.)

The world’s largest pumpkin pie was created by the New Bremen, Ohio, Pumpkin Growers in 2010 and used 440 sheets of dough for a pie that was 20 feet in diameter!

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If  you’re intrigued by our podcast, make it easy on yourself and subscribe on Apple Podcasts. That way you can listen to more than one episode, and have them download automatically on your phone or tablet. You can also bake along with us in our Facebook group, Preheated.

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