This Halloween millions of homes across the UK light up with jack-o’-lanterns, but once the spooky fun is over, many pumpkins meet an unfortunate end. Shockingly, 95% of the 10 million pumpkins grown in the UK each year are discarded after Halloween, contributing to a huge 18,000 tonnes of food waste.

Did you know that it takes 240 litres of water to grow just 1kg of pumpkin? This Halloween, make sure none of that effort goes to waste and set out to make a change by turning those pumpkins into something delicious with the help of Discarded Spirits Co., an inspiring brand who are dedicated to reducing waste in the food and drink industry by transforming discarded ingredients into innovative and delicious spirits. 

Instead of letting those post-Halloween pumpkins go to waste, why not transform them into something magical and creatively repurpose into a fantastically delicious cocktail such as The Discarded Pumpkin Spice Daiquiri. This wickedly good cocktail not only helps reduce waste but also stars the award winning Discarded Spirits Banana Peel Rum (70cl– RRP £32),– a smooth, fruity rum made from Caribbean rum blended with banana peel extract. It’s the ultimate circular serve to sip this Halloween!

As an ingredient, banana peel provides toffee notes with a fruity balance. Flavours of banoffee pie and sticky toffee pudding, with the deep fruity milk chocolate raisins, accompanied by a crystallised ginger finish.

Discarded Pumpkin Spice Daiquiri Recipe

Ingredients:

• 200g Pumpkin
• 150g Caster Sugar
• 100ml Boiling Water
• 1⁄2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1⁄2 Teaspoon Allspice

For the Daiquiri:

• 50ml Discarded Spirits Banana Peel Rum
• 20ml Lime Juice
• 60g Pumpkin Mixture

Method:

1. Prep the Pumpkin: Peel and dice your leftover pumpkin flesh, then roast it in the oven for 25 minutes or until soft.
2. Make the Pumpkin Mixture: Blend the roasted pumpkin with caster sugar. Then, add the mixture to a pan with boiling water, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. Create the Cocktail: Combine 50ml of Discarded Spirits Banana Peel Rum, 20ml lime juice, and 60g of your pumpkin mixture in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and double-strain into a glass.
4. Optional: Roast the pumpkin seeds for a crunchy snack to enjoy alongside your cocktail!

For more information about the work of the Discarded Spirits Co. team or to test out their other irresistible creations visit Discarded Spirits Co.