So now that we’re past Halloween, without question the most pumpkin-heavy holiday on the calendar, you think you’re done with these bright orange gourd. Think again. The humble pumpkin is not just a smiling home for a candle during trick or treating. This is an incredibly versatile squash.  You can boil, bake, steam, puree, mash or cube and roast the flesh.  They’re savory or sweet and you could even use them as a vase or serving “dish.” Plus pumpkins are a great source of vitamin A, and only about 100 calories per cup.

This chili is up … and it’s good!
The tech of tailgating has elevated the art of outdoor pre-gaming from its humble roots of charred franks slowly shriveling on charcoal to a nearly gourmet experience.

The ingredients in these iconic Lowcountry dishes may seem familiar, but the recipes are decidedly not. With these coastal-inspired ideas you can turn shrimp and grits into a shrimp and cornmeal spoonbread soufflé, or roast your Lowcountry boil on the BBQ.

After accepting the difficult assignment to locate Hilton Head Island’s best burgers, I did two things right away: bought a new pair of running shoes, and renewed my gym membership.

With that important preliminary work out of the way, I proceeded to ask everyone I knew where I might track down the island’s best burgers, and I got a meaty response: 14 in total. That meant I had a lot of burgers to eat and not a lot of time to do it.

Three local chefs. Four recipes. One perfect holiday meal.

Looking for a little holiday culinary inspiration? Look no further: In October, Monthly asked three Taste of the Season chefs for their favorite holiday dishes and assembled them into one perfect holiday dinner you can make at home — assuming you have the time and considerably more cooking abilities than we do.

Consider this also a sneak preview of the cuisine you can sample from more than 35 of the Lowcountry’s top chefs at the 21st annual Taste of the Season, taking place Dec. 3 at the Marriott Resort & Spa on Hilton Head. The event finds chefs competing for the honor of “Best Cuisine” and confectionery artists vying for the top honor of “Best Cake.”

Most wines produced in the United States are made as single grape (varietal) wines from a rather limited number of grapes.

But as wine drinkers become more adventurous, wineries are exploring less-frequently planted grapes to create blends — a common practice in Europe, but one that’s still relatively unusual here. This month’s column concerns both types; these wines will often be found under the “Interesting Reds” label.

The grape Blaufränkisch (“Blue Franc”) is grown mainly in Austria. But the Steele Winery in California has a 2008 Shooting Star Blue Franc that’s nice example — and a better value than an Austrian import. It’s a light red, scarcely oaked to make it appealingly fruity, and with light tannins that lead to a clean, dry finish. It’s ideal for salmon or chicken.

Summertime brings the pleasure of lazing on the deck with a cold bottle of wine in easy reach and another waiting for dinner. For this month, a lighter wine for sipping and something with a bit more character for the meal.

Wine has been produced on the Iberian Peninsula, now occupied by Spain and Portugal, for more than four millennia, but many of the region’s wines were not very widely distributed until the last couple of decades. Things changed dramatically after the two countries joined the European Union: There was a major influx of capital into the wine industry, and techniques in the vineyards and wineries were improved rapidly. The white wines produced on the Atlantic coast, just north or south of the border between Portugal and Spain, have benefited from these developments, are particularly suited to the summer, and are achieving a deserved popularity.

At least for the moment, we may be crawling out of the financial crisis, so the nation’s birthday calls for cautious celebration, best accomplished with wines made in the U.S.A.  

Memorial Day is the official opening of grilling season, at least for those living in less hospitable Northern climates, so the four wines this month are designed to be drunk around the grill.