Kurpitsan

Kurpitsa is the Finnish common name for pumpkin, a fruit produced by several Cucurbita species. The word kurpitsan is the genitive singular form of kurpitsa, used to indicate possession or “of the pumpkin” in phrases such as kurpitsan siemenet (the seeds of the pumpkin) or kurpitsan maku (the taste of the pumpkin).

Botanically, kurpitsa describes a creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family. It bears large, rounded fruits with flesh that varies in color by variety, most commonly orange. In Finland kurpitsat are cultivated in warm-season gardens and typically harvested in autumn for cooking and storage.

Culinary use: The flesh can be boiled, roasted, puréed, or baked, and is a common base for soups, purées, and desserts. The seeds are edible and often roasted. Nutritionally kurpitsa provides beta-carotene, dietary fiber, and potassium, with moderate calories per serving. Popular Finnish preparations include kurpitsakeitto (pumpkin soup) and kurpitsalaatikko (pumpkin casserole).

In Finnish culture, pumpkins mark the autumn harvest and are common in home gardens and markets. The inflected form kurpitsan appears frequently in written and spoken Finnish, illustrating how Finnish nouns decline with cases and possessives.

See also: Kurpitsa, Finnish grammar, Cucurbitaceae.