The 1,000-pound great pumpkin of Everett could squash you | Green Pumpkin Seeds Kernel

We still aren’t sure– is it Kanye or Ye? Either way, Kanye West is proving to be a giant #Diva with his backstage demands. We get it. The man is organized. Business Insider reports requirements including a bottle of hot sauce, small yogurt, toothpicks and lots of alcohol.

Matilda, South Yarra: Charred kangaroo, sweet corn, lemon myrtle Nick Connellan, publications director Cooking over wood has been trending for a few years now. In many cases though, the method feels like more of an indulgence for chefs than diners. Not so at Matilda. These thinly sliced, burnt-at-the-edges bits of ’roo couldn’t be made with anything but a naked, smoke-riddled flame. The kitchen marinates the slices in oyster sauce for an umami boost, chargrills them, rests them in the marinade again, then brushes them with fermented capsicum paste. They end up both chewy and tender, like the best jerky you’ve ever eaten. An honourable mention goes to the Macedon Ranges duck with charred blood orange, featuring probably the best skin in town right now.

Cold-water fatty fish, including herring, sardines, and salmon, may benefit the skin, as they are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Moko’s substantial American-style cookies are worlds apart from the typical Parisian patisserie fare, and locals line up daily to buy the chewy treats studded with chocolate, seeds, and nuts.

“About 10 years ago, a co-worker kept twisting my arm to grow these things,” he said. “He eventually brought a plant into work one day, put it on my desk and told me to take it home and plant it. I was somewhat dubious about it at the time; after all, it’s kind of a silly hobby. People don’t eat these pumpkins, and they take up a huge amount of space in your garden. I generally set aside 1,000 to 1,200 square feet for a single plant, which translates into a 30-by-40-foot plot. That’s bigger than most people’s gardens.”

For my birthday this year, I went to Rose’s Luxury. There are no reservations at Rose’s; you stand in line in one of DC’s most photogenic neighborhoods and patiently wait to be seated. The service is hospitable, and the atmosphere is cozy. All of the food comes out on small plates with some of the most imaginative combinations of technique and flavors. Rose’s cocktails are equally as delicious. It’s an all-around dope spot.

Leonardo’s Pizza Palace, Carlton: Crumbed chicken cutlet, garlic butter and caper sauce Ellen Fraser, Melbourne editor We came for the pizza, but – nostalgic 1970s interior aside – it was this beautifully warped, deep-gold disc o’ schnitzel that won my heart. It’s got a rock hard, salty, jilted ex-lover level exterior, and arrives under a mountain of green capers and a metric tonne of garlic butter. Marry me.

In order to further uptake of the nut, JatroSolutions offers technical assistance to companies wanting to farm or manufacture the nut.

This year the Young’s bragging rights belonged to a particularly tall specimen of long gourd: It broke a New England record at 11 feet.

Although Schumitsch Seed doesn’t currently do any farming, it is engrained in its history. Joe Schumitsch moved to the outskirts of Antigo in the 1940’s, at Schumitsch Seed’s current location, where he built and maintained a simple dairy operation.

But when sunflowers were introduced to Europe from the Americas in the early 16th century they were little more than garden novelties. The 16th-century English herbalist, John Gerard, was disappointed that the sunflowers in his Holborn garden in London were only 4.3 metres tall (those of his European competitors reached 7.3 metres). Today, sunflowers, with their massive, yellow flower heads are among the most recognisable plants on the planet.

To use in a stir fry, remove the rind’s outer layer of green skin with a knife, reserving the white part to julienne into matchsticks. Sauteed over high heat, the rind will soften in as little as five minutes, absorbing the flavors of what it’s placed within. Watermelon rind is most commonly incorporated into Asian-inspired dishes, sauteed alongside ingredients such as sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Add in such veggies as carrots and peppers, and a protein such as shrimp, tofu or chicken, to craft a quick and effortless meal.