[Mermade]

My mother says that my great-grandmother wouldn't have been caught dead using canned pumpkin for her pies. That said canned vs. fresh pumpkin really depends. The thing canned pumpkin has going for it is convenience. For my part, I tend to use canned pumpkin for baking and fresh pumpkin for other purposes. Pumpkin can be used in most recipes that call for other squashes (acorn/butternut). I think the reason you don't see pumpkin more is because of its size. I would go for smaller baking pumpkins anyway as the large jack o' lantern pumpkins weren't bred for their taste.