Variety
Jack Be Little
Miniature pumpkins for individual roasting — ornamental and genuinely delicious
Jack Be Little is a miniature pumpkin variety producing charming small orange pumpkins (7–10cm diameter, 150–200g) that are as ornamental as they are edible. Each fruit is the perfect size for an individual portion — halve, roast, and serve in the shell. The flavour is sweet and genuinely good, not merely decorative. Excellent for table displays and then cooking once the display is over.
Flavour
Sweet, slightly earthy pumpkin flavour with a denser flesh than large decorative pumpkins. The flavour is more concentrated than standard carving pumpkins and genuinely worth eating. Roasting whole and serving in the shell is both practical and visually impressive at the dinner table.
In the kitchen
Halve, scoop seeds, brush with butter and maple syrup, and roast at 190°C for 25–30 minutes until caramelised and tender. Serve in the shell filled with a sage butter or stuffed with a wild rice mixture. Also excellent whole on the BBQ — place directly on the grill over indirect heat for 30–35 minutes. The small size makes them ideal for individual portions at a BBQ feast.
Growing
Trailing vine; space 1.5m apart. Produces many small fruit per plant (10–15 per plant in good conditions). Harvest when fully orange and the stem is dry. Stores for 4–6 months. An excellent variety for families with children who enjoy growing their own 'individual pumpkins.' Easy to grow and highly productive.