Pumpkin Balls and Pumpkin Cakes

Pumpkin Balls and Pumpkin Cakes

　　Pumpkin Balls and Pumpkin Cakes

　　Pumpkin, commonly called "golden melon" in Yunhe, is one of the most ordinary vegetables and fruits among the people. Farmers in mountainous areas grow it abundantly around their houses and at the edges of fields. In hard times, it serves as a life-saving staple food—replacing rice—and people eat so much of it that their skin turns yellow. In years of abundance, this once-vital crop is demoted to pig feed. But who would have thought that clever and skilled rural housewives, adept at cooking, could transform it into a delicious delicacy—a local specialty used to entertain honored guests? "Pumpkin Balls" are one such creation. They are indispensable at the annual reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve. Their name is elegant and carries auspicious meaning; their taste is delicious, their style unique, and they rival neither rare game nor mountain or sea delicacies. They are less greasy than meat, less fishy than fish, not as bland as wild delicacies, and not as overly rich as seafood. One might say they gather the strengths of many ingredients without any of the off-putting flavors of rare treasures. With a flavor that is well-balanced and enticing, made from inexpensive yet quality main ingredients and equally common seasonings, it’s no wonder this dish has enjoyed a long-standing place in folk tradition. From my earliest memories, everyone—from my grandmother and parents to uncles and down to my nieces and nephews—has loved them. For decades, they’ve been an essential part of every holiday.