The Saga of the 37 Pumpkins- Installment No. 6 - Pumpkin Pancakes with Pumpkin Maple Syrup

How had the life-snatchers changed from "them" to "the keepers?" No one really knew, but the title became increasingly ubiquitous in equal measure with the fear that had begun to permeate the patchmates. Night vigils were instituted, meaning that the rebel pumpkins discontinued their official meetings, instead choosing to communicate in whispers and code tapped out by stalks upon rinds.
Cucurbita continued to tell stories about what she believed to happen after capture, and continued to attempt to soothe the frightened minds of those about her.

"Don't worry about it," she'd say, "We died when we were removed from our stalks, so why are we afraid of death now?"

Gourdon had not feared death when it came to him, for since his wife's death, fear had become an alien emotion.

After Catherine's abduction, Gourdon's rind had begun to soften, evidencing his internal sickness. He slowly rotted to death. He was the sixth to die, and the first to make it through his life without being turned into what Cucurbita called "pumpkin butter."

Jack was one of the first volunteers to keep night vigil, a station that was to him an opportunity to pace and gather his thoughts. If that woman was the cause of all their strife, then she must be put down. How could it be done? She could not be killed, at least not by another of her kind. No poison, no force, no element could be directed towards her. The only way to defeat her evil was to rally the others against her.

"Weren't we against her in the first place," Jack muttered to himself, "Don't we think she's old and mad? The stupid vegetables, they've got to wake up, or we'll all be ruined."

So caught up in his muttering about saving the world, was Jack, that he didn't hear the piteous cries of an old man caught in the long, smooth stalks of a keeper.

The next morning, a sweet, buttery aroma wafted through the cool air. Delighted by the sweet smell, the pumpkins smiled and wondered from whence it came.

And then there were 30...

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Pumpkin Pancakes with Pumpkin Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• a pinch of ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Butter, for pan

Instructions:

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, blend milk, pumpkin, egg, and vegetable oil. Stir wet ingredients well.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened; batter may be lumpy. For thinner pancakes, add more milk.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with butter.

Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to form. Turn and continue cooking 1-2 minutes until lightly browned.

Serve warm with pumpkin maple syrup.

Pumpkin Syrup Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3/4  cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon  

Instructions for syrup:

Heat 1 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1 cup pure pumpkin, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pumpkin spice) in small pan until warm. Serve over pumpkin pancakes.

Enjoy!

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