The winter squash has been harvested and you might find it on the Thanksgiving dinner menu.
Winter squash is part of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes pumpkins and summer squash.
One difference between summer and winter squash is the thickness of the skin. Winter squash is mature when the rind has thickened, while summer squash has a thinner, more tender skin.
Winter squash is harvested and eaten when seeds are ripe, in the mature fruit stage. Most varieties of winter squash can be stored for use throughout the winter or at least for several months.
Winter squash comes in a variety of shapes and colors. Those tough, outer skins can be bumpy or smooth, thin or thick.
When buying winter squash, always pick one that feels heavy for its size and has a stem attached. Avoid any with cuts, punctures or moldy spots on the rind.
Butternut squash is said to be the sweetest winter squash. The taste and texture is somewhat similar to sweet potatoes.
Beige colored and shaped like a bell, butternut squash usually weighs between 2 and 5 pounds. The bright orange flesh is thick, but more watery than other squash.
Pick a butternut that is more orange in color, as it should be riper and sweeter. Butternut will keep up to three months.
“Honeynut” is a mini butternut squash that gets about 5 inches long, with each fruit weighing up to one pound. The rind starts out a dark green, turning tan, and at full maturity it’s a burnt orange color. The dense, orange flesh has a richer and sweeter flavor because it’s more concentrated.
Acorn squash are roundish with even grooves around the entire squash. ark green with occasional splotches of orange, the fruit weighs between 12 ounces and 2 pounds.
Avoid squash with too much orange, as they tend to be tougher and more fibrous. The mildly sweet and nutty yellowish orange flesh is perfect for baking, roasting, sautéing or even microwaving. Store for up to one month.
“Mashed Potato” is an acorn squash with a bright, white rind and white flesh that is low in sugar. The 2.75-pound fruits take on the appearance of mashed potatoes when cooked and fluffed.
“Baked Potato” is another variety of acorn squash that has a sweet, nutty flavor. Butternut-colored 1.5-pound fruits have a tan flesh that is perfect for soup, roasting and pies.
Blue Hubbard squash is a big, teardrop-shaped fruit weighing 15 to 40 pounds. It has a sweet, fine-grained, golden flesh that is good for baking, pies, and soup.
A very hard grey-blue skin allows Hubbard to store for up to six months but makes them challenging to open.
If you have space limitations in the garden or just don’t know what to do with full-sized Hubbard, try “Baby Blue.” This Hubbard squash weighs …….
