Aside from the obligatory halloween jack o'lantern, I am not sure we do pumpkins here in blighty. Certainly we don't do them with the same fervour and thoroughness as they do across the pond. No pumpkin pie, no pumpkin spiced lattes, and certainly no pumpkin spiced latte M&Ms! (I have to admit to having just found out these exist and hastily put in an order from a friend who is stateside).

Despite my reservations, we turned a pumpkin into some slow roasted pumpkin giving it the same treatment as we would butternut squash - seasoning, a slick of olive oil and a dustin of thyme. The texture is thicker and creamier than squash and it could certainly take a blast of chilli flakes. Thumbs up, halloween or no halloween.

If you are a pumpkin convert, then the pie is the obvious next step. I am a big fan of the series of "How to cook the perfect" articles in The Guardian that take a whole range of recipes for one dish and analyse them to fathom the ultimate recipe. The one for pumpkin pie is here. If you aren't a fan of the pumpkin, turn to the chocolate cake or macaroni cheese articles. You're welcome!