People who buy pumpkins based strictly on their decorative potential are akin to those who choose wine for the pretty label. The difference: The wine customer eventually uncorks the bottle to see whether the whim yields a satisfying taste. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, seven of every eight pumpkins sold are likely to spend their post-harvest lives as decorations.

If only more people knew that beneath the unconventional colors, lumps and warts lie the most amazing tastes and textures just begging for a recipe. Then the squashes might end up in dishes instead of on a porch or counter.

A seasonal, well-rounded education about oddball pumpkins and specialty varieties can be had at the Circleville Pumpkin Show, opening today for the 106th year. More than 100 familiar, unusual, even freakish varieties of pumpkins, squashes and gourds will be displayed, with thousands sold during the four-day festival.

Kurt Engle, who has managed the show's pumpkin and squash sales table for the past 15 years, taps five area growers. They stock the 200-foot table in the middle of the show, next to the traditional three-story-high pumpkin pyramid and giant pumpkins -- some a half-ton or more -- that await weigh-in for the "best of show" and "largest grown" competitions.

"The pumpkin varieties have been expanding every year," Engle said. "But most of what's sold are used for decorating."

Most people, he suspects, don't know what to do with unfamiliar varieties -- although one called Tan Cheese, a favorite among pie makers in the area, has become a consistent seller.

For more than 30 years, Circleville farmer Roger Kline has grown Tan Cheese pumpkins -- wider than they are tall, with a beige shell and deep ridges -- and sold them at the show. He and fellow growers rank Tan Cheese (also called an Old Fashioned Cow Pumpkin) tops among the types used for cooking.

"They can range anywhere in size from 5 to 15 pounds," Kline said.

Although oversize pumpkins are typically thought of as tough, stringy and flavorless, specialty varieties defy that rule, he said.

"Pumpkins that are good for cooking have a small seed cavity and thick walls full of meat (pulp). When you cut into them, they're full. You won't find hollow space like you get in a carving pumpkin."

For 29 years, Euteva Passmore, manager at the Pumpkin Patch Farm Market in Circleville, has hauled unusual varieties of pumpkins from the market to the annual show.

She, too, is a fan of Tan Cheese pumpkins -- the market's best-seller -- but she encourages buyers to try often-overlooked varieties for pumpkin recipes, including the smoky blue-shelled Jarrahdale, the "wart"-covered Red Warty Thing and the French heirloom Rouge Vif d'Etampes (also called the Cinderella Pumpkin for its fairy-tale-carriage shape).

"They don't know what they are missing," she said. "The pulp is smooth, sweet and a beautiful color that leans more toward a yellow."

Brad Bergefurd, a horticulture specialist with Ohio State University Extension, has noticed an increase in the number of specialty varieties at roadside stands and farm markets throughout Ohio.

"There's more attention now on eating locally and homegrown foods, so people are slowly venturing out to try these varieties," he said. "But for folks who grew up or live in the country, some of these varieties are really nothing new to them. They've always been in our pumpkin pie."

Engle, too, thinks the focus on local and seasonal foods has encouraged pumpkin growers to think -- and plant -- creatively in recent years, with attention paid to the culinary details in the varieties grown.

"Every year," he said, "something new and unusual shows up."

If you go

The Circleville Pumpkin Show runs through Saturday in downtown Circleville. For information, including directions and a schedule of events, visit www.pumpkinshow.com.

Peeling pumpkins

Nothing strikes more fear in the heart of a cook than a recipe that calls for peeling a bumpy, hard-shelled pumpkin or squash.

Among all varieties, the butternut squash, with its smooth exterior, is the easiest to peel.

You could substitute butternut squash in most pumpkin recipes, but you'll miss out on some distinct flavors and textures emerging from the pumpkin patch.

There are a few ways to tackle larger pumpkins with rough exteriors.

One is to slice into the pumpkin like a cake, creating manageable wedges that are easier to peel.

Another method that some Circleville growers share is to place a halved or quartered pumpkin in the microwave for five-minute increments, checking to see whether the shell has softened enough to peel away. You might sacrifice a fraction of the flesh that softens with cooking, but peeling just became a lot easier.

Finally, larger sections of pumpkin can be roasted or baked with the peel on. Once the pumpkin is soft, it can be easily scraped from the peel.

Storing gourds

• Fresh pumpkins will keep for up to two months in a dry, cool and well-ventilated location at temperatures from 50 to 55 degrees.

• They can serve as outdoor seasonal decorations in the same temperature range. Euteva Passmore of the Pumpkin Patch Farm Market suggests rubbing the outside with vegetable oil -- which not only makes the pumpkin shiny and attractive for display but also keeps it from rotting too soon.

When the temperature dips, the pumpkins should be moved to unheated spaces in the house -- such as attics and attached garages.

Preparing puree

Once you get past splitting a pumpkin in two, it's easy to turn any size of pumpkin into a smooth, freezable puree that will keep up to one year.

Although you can prepare any of these varieties for puree, and they can be substituted for one another in a recipe, they all have different water contents.

Jarrahdale and Peanut pumpkins have a lot of water, and Tan Cheese and Cinderella have less, so it's important to drain well and remember that the yield will be different among varieties.

Take any size of pumpkin suitable for culinary use, split it in halves or sections and remove the stringy membrane and seeds.

Arrange sections in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of water and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake in a 400-degree oven until the pulp is soft. Baking time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin, but a 2-pound pie pumpkin should take 40 minutes. Larger pumpkins could take an hour or more.

When cool enough to handle, cut away the skin, transfer the pulp to a large bowl and mash by hand or puree in batches in a food processor.

Line a large colander with several layers of cheesecloth or a large coffee filter and add the puree. Place the colander over a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight to drain.

The next day, package the puree in freezer containers or freezer bags in desired increments. (Tip: Pie recipes usually call for one can of solid-pack pumpkin -- which is equal to 15 ounces or 1 cups.)

Pumpkin Orange Marmalade

Makes about 2 cups

Choose the brightest-fleshed pumpkin available for this recipe. The three primary ingredients -- pumpkin, orange and ginger -- come together for one big taste.

Serve it as a spread on whole-wheat toast with a sliver of sharp aged cheddar or a grating of salty cheese such as Parmesan or Asiago, or use it to fill whole-wheat pastry tarts.

This recipe is adapted from Better Homes & Gardens at www.bhg.com.

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup orange marmalade

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine the puree, marmalade and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. (The mixture will be very thick.)

Remove from heat, and stir in ground ginger and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.

At this point, the marmalade can be transferred to a covered container and refrigerated for up to one week.

PER TABLESPOON: 28 calories; 0 protein; 7 g carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 6 mg sodium

Afghani Pumpkin

Makes 4 servings

Kaddo Bowrani or Afghani Pumpkin is an unusual and original use for fresh pumpkin or squash and perhaps one of the most delicious.

A small sugar pie pumpkin or a Tan Cheese works in this recipe, but for the most colorful presentation, try a Cinderella Pumpkin. This recipe was adapted from www.afghan-network.net.

Pumpkin:

cup vegetable or canola oil

2 pounds fresh pumpkin or squash, peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes

Sweet Tomato Sauce:

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 cup water

teaspoon salt

cup sugar

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:

1 garlic clove, crushed

teaspoon salt

cup plain yogurt

Dried mint leaves, crushed

Steamed rice

Pita bread

To make the Pumpkin: Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the pumpkin cubes and fry on both sides for a couple of minutes until lightly browned. Remove from heat.

To make the Sweet Tomato Sauce: Combine all the ingredients for the tomato sauce, and add the mixture to the pan with the pumpkin. Cover and cook

20 minutes over low heat until the pumpkin is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.

To make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce: Mix together all of the ingredients for the yogurt sauce.

To serve, spread most of the yogurt sauce on a plate and arrange the pumpkin on top. Top with any remaining yogurt and juices from the pan. Sprinkle with dried crushed mint leaves, and serve with rice and pita bread.

PER SERVING (without rice and pita): 311 calories; 5 g protein; 45 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 15 g fat (2 g saturated); 3 mg cholesterol; 332 mg sodium