I’m not quite sure when my pumpkin vexation took hold.

Maybe it was that old newspaper clipping I found recently tucked in a favorite cookbook, the one revealing that most canned pumpkin in stores today is primarily squash.

What??

“Since 1938, we have consistently advised canners that we would not initiate regulatory action solely because of their using the designation “pumpkin” or “canned pumpkin” on labels for articles prepared from golden-fleshed, sweet squash, or mixtures of such squash with field pumpkins,” federal food regulators wrote in 1969. “In the absence of any evidence that this designation misleads or deceives consumers we see no reason to change this policy.”

Then, the shocking discovery that the iconic New England brand of One-Pie pumpkin was no longer canned in Waldoboro but somewhere in Illinois.

Finally, there was the jar of exfoliating pumpkin latte sugar scrub I found while snooping in my best friend’s medicine cabinet.

All these travesties against the humble cucurbita pepo kindled an ember of enmity within me as fall ushered in a new season of “all things pumpkin.” That ember burst into a flame as I harvested the seven perfect pie pumpkins I’d grown in my garden.

Contemplating the vegetable’s cultural fall from grace, I vowed to walk in the path of the pure pumpkin. I would cook and preserve my small harvest and when it was gone, I would buy locally grown pumpkins for my fall and holiday cooking. And I would limit my use of the pumpkin to only traditional recipes.

Like a pilgrim on a spiritual quest, I sought wisdom from a sacred text, “The Joy of Cooking.”

“We think of this squash (pumpkin) first as pie and next as soup, but it is also good as a vegetable.”

So repeat after me:

“First as a pie, next as a soup . . .”

The first step in my quest was recognizing that not all pumpkins are alike. The decorative pumpkins used for carving are grown for size and ease of carving. Their flesh is thin, watery and tasteless. Don’t cook with them.

Pie pumpkins, on the other hand, are small and dense and grown for their flavor. Even if you didn’t grow your own pie pumpkins this year, don’t worry. Local farmers have them.

Keena Tracy at Little Ridge Farm in Lisbon Falls only grows pie pumpkins. She says it’s easier for her farm “shareholders.” This year, she explained, “I grew Rouge Vif d’Etampes because they’re big and beautiful and good eating. And New England Pie because they are perfectly sized at around 3 pounds each, are a deep orange, are great eating and good storage.”

Jillson’s Farm in Sabattus just harvested its New England Pie pumpkins and will be bringing them to the Lewiston Farmer’s Market on Sundays.

Once you’ve got some lovely local pumpkins in your kitchen, preparing them is easy. Like cooking squash, all cooking methods start by washing the pumpkin. To bake, slice pumpkins in half horizontally. Scoop out the seeds and the innards. Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down on a baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees until they’re very soft, from one to two hours. Then, scoop out the flesh and puree it with a hand masher, a food processor or an immersion blender. Properly cooked pumpkin should be easily mashed by hand.

Pumpkin can also be microwaved. The time to zap it will depend on the size of your pumpkin and the wattage of your microwave.

If boiling is your thing, wash and clean out your pumpkin, then slice it into small pieces. Remove the peel before you boil or steam the pieces, heat until soft and drain thoroughly before mashing.

A typical 6-inch pie pumpkin will generally yield approximately a cup and a half of puree and can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for one week. Your fresh pumpkin puree can be frozen.

Now that you have your puree, you are ready to find your inner Great Pumpkin and make your pie or soup. Here are two recipes I’ve been making for a long time with canned pumpkin. I tried them both with my fresh puree. Except for being slightly lighter in color than the canned ingredient, fresh pumpkin cooked up deliciously in both of the recipes included today.

My love for local pie pumpkins continues to burn bright as I gaze at the stored containers of puree in my freezer. There’s going to be some delicious holiday eating here in Lisbon Falls this year as I walk the path of the pure pie pumpkin.

Julie-Ann Baumer lives, cooks, grows pumpkins, and writes from her home in Lisbon Falls. Read her blog www.julieannbaumer.com or follow her on twitter @aunttomato.

Libby’s famous pumpkin pie

1 single deep-dish pie crust

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 ounces) Libby’s 100 percent pure pumpkin

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll pie crust dough into a 12-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate, pressing it into the edges. Trim to a 1-inch overhang all around. Crimp edge as desired. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. Beat eggs together in a large bowl. Add sugar mixture and pumpkin to the eggs; stir to combine. Stir in evaporated milk until well combined.

Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake until filling is set, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream, if desired, or transfer to a refrigerator until ready to serve.

Curried pumpkin soup

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups cooked pumpkin

1 cup heavy cream

Sour cream and scallions (optional)

Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic until soft. Add curry powder, salt, coriander and red pepper flakes. Add broth, boil lightly uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Stir in pumpkin and heavy cream, lower heat to medium and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Pour soup mixture into blender in small batches, blend until creamy. (An immersion blender works well, too.)

Serve immediately, with garnish of sour cream and scallions.

Soup can be reheated.

Makes approximately 6 cups.