Milk Pumpkin Soup

1 cinnamon stick, broken
6 whole cloves
5 whole allspice berries
1 large Spanish onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 rib celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 to 4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 to 5 pounds milk pumpkin (or other hard squash, except butternut), peeled and cut into rough 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Red hot sauce to taste
Ground cinnamon and cloves to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons light cream (optional)

Tie the spices into a cheesecloth sack with enough string to tie the bag to the handle of the pot. Place the onions, celery, garlic and carrots in a large stainless-steel pot and cook over low heat until wilted (do not let the onions
color). Add the pumpkin and salt. Tie the spice bag to pot handle. Add water to just cover. Turn up the heat and simmer until the carrots are softened. Remove from the heat. Remove the spice bag. Puree the vegetables until smooth. Strain through a sieve and press hard on the solids. (This can be done up to two days before serving.) Return the soup to the pot and reheat slowly. Thin with water if too thick. Adjust the seasonings with salt, hot sauce, ground cinnamon and cloves to taste. Finish the soup once reheated with the butter and/or light cream, if desired. 6 servings.