Halloween pumpkins more than just jack-o-lanterns

AFP Videos

SCRIPT: It’s one of the Halloween traditions that American children look forward to the most: pumpkin carving. VOXPOP “We will go home and we’ll light them and, get ready for Halloween” First you carve out the eyes, nose and mouth… then when you’ve taken out the insides, you’ve got a lantern ready to scare off trick-or-treaters... But this is just one use for pumpkins… a less common application is being offered at this beauty salon, where you can have a facial with products made of the versatile fruit. It’s said to be good for the skin as winter approaches. SOUNDBITE 1 Paris Alexander (woman), Beautician, Paris Alexander Day Spa (English, 10 sec) “The pumpkin is a wonderful treatment to do to rehydrate the skin and to add moisture and nutrients to the skin’. It’s an unusual treatment that’s proving popular with clients. SOUNDBITE 2 Tisha Jackson (woman, English, 9 sec) “I feel the difference. It’s a lot more….It’s not as tight as it was before. And also the scent is awesome.” More well known perhaps are pumpkin’s culinary uses. At this restaurant, it’s the main ingredient for everything on the menu tonight. SOUNDBITE 3 Logan McGear (man), Head Chef, ‘Smoke & Barrel’ restaurant (English, 9 sec) “”So you can make it with bread, you can make pasta, you can make desserts out of it, you can even turn it into drinks, or like we had tonight we turned into a pumpkin beer or a pumpkin cocktail’” For the diners here, a big part of the appeal are the memories the flavours bring back. VOX POP (woman, 12 sec) I guess it reminds me of a certain time of the year, and a certain feeling when it just starts to get cold and you have those warm spices and you know maybe you’re around the fire and it’s just a very happy time with family. So whatever form it takes - be it face cream, beers or dessert - this Halloween hallmark has a special place in the hearts of Americans. ----------------------------------------------------------- SHOTLIST: WASHINGTON, 28-29 OCTOBER, 2013, SOURCE: AFPTV -VAR of pumpkin carving event -VOXPOP -VAR of pumpkin carving event -VAR of beauty treatment using pumpkin face cream -SOUNDBITE 1 -WIDE of treatment -SOUNDBITE 2 -VAR of pumpkin-themed tasting evening -SOUNDBITE 3 -VAR of tasting evening -VOXPOP -VAR of people eating and drinking pumpkin-flavoured food and drink