Pumpkin - the symbol of autumn from Spain to Poland

In Vega Baja del Segura, the pumpkin is not just a Halloween decoration. Here it has held the status of queen of autumn for generations, present in the kitchen, in the fields and in family memories. It is this part of the province of Alicante that is the largest pumpkin-growing area in the region, and its traditional preserves have become part of the local identity.

Spanish tradition: sweet gachas and aromatic arrope

On All Saints' Day in Vega Baja it smells not of candles, but of pumpkin sweetness. Houses prepare gachas con arrope y calabazate, a simple yet symbolic dessert. In the past, housewives boiled a thick slurry of flour and water, which, according to legend, they used to seal the locks to prevent the souls of the dead from entering. The rest was served with arrope - a thick syrup made from fig must - and calabazate, or candied pumpkin, yam and melon.

This aromatic duo also has its own music - the vendors who roamed the villages with jugs of arrope would call out in song, “¡Arrope y calabazateee!” Today that sound has been replaced by jars on store shelves, but the taste has remained the same - sweet and nostalgic.

Pumpkin in Poland: from soup to cheesecake

In Poland, too, pumpkin has been making a comeback over the years. Until recently associated mainly with fields and animal feed, today it has become the queen of autumn cuisine. We cook creamy soups with it, bake cakes and cheesecakes, and even make jams. In some regions it also appears in the form of pickled pumpkin - a must-have addition to meats and pates.

So it can be said that the pumpkin unites Poles and Vega Baja residents - in both cultures it symbolizes simplicity, the warmth of home cooking and respect for the gifts of autumn.

Vega Baja - the land where pumpkins grow like gold

Between the citrons and artichokes in the fertile horta of Vega Baja, the orange balls ripen - juicy, sweet and aromatic. The region is responsible for more than 30% of the pumpkin crop in Alicante province. In local cuisines, pumpkin is found in every form: in doughnuts, honey pies, creams and preserves.

And while in Poland on All Saints' Day we remember loved ones with the scent of chrysanthemums and wax, in Vega Baja it is accompanied by the smell of pumpkin, figs and sugar. Two different traditions, the same time of reverie and taste.