Some people see a little pumpkin and think about how cute it is, and other people see a little pumpkin and get the shakes for a big knife and some onions. There is nothing like the tender flesh of a little pumpkin, roasted with a little olive oil and salt, stirred around with some lucious caramelized onions, a little fresh sage and garlic, to say, Hellooooo, September. I’m talking tiny pumpkin, no more than four or five inches high; if you can’t find that, butternut squash is great; you will want aobut 3 and some pounds of either. Cut either one in half, scrape out the seeds, slice into 2 inch wedges, and toss with olive oil and salt. Roast at 400 degrees, until tender. In a saute pan over a low to medium heat, add add a spill of olive oil and 2 garlic cloves. Simmer until the garlic (cut in half) is golden. Add two onions, about 2 1/2 inches across, the fresher and tighter, the better. Caramelize for about 15 to 20 minutes with salt and a few whole fresh sage leaves. When you can hardly keep yourself from eating them all because they are so tender and delicious, add about 5 red pepper flakes and a grind of salt. Smash the garlic cloves with a fork. Combine the pumpkin with the onion. Cover with your own chicken stock that you have simmering on the back of the stove (just throw some chicken bones in water, cover, bring to a boil, throw out the water, rinse, add new water, a piece of celery, an onion, a garlic clove, a bay leaf and a sprig of parsely. Simmer for at least an hour and up to four; strain). You don’t want tons of liquid, just enough to make it saucy. Bring all this to a simmer with a pinch of salt (taste) and allow to get to know each other for about 5 or 10 minutes. Taste again. Add a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley and a drizzle of your favorite extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle slices of your favorite baguette with parmesan, or any nutty, semi hard French cheese. Broil, watching like a hawk. Set them on top of the soup and serve. Sides of roast pork or thick cut pan fried canandian bacon is good with this and a salad of thin sliced apples and fennel with lemon and olive oil and salt, or a baby spinach salad with fried wild mushrooms and tiny bits of raw, minced shallot.