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Yankee Pier: Winter Squash
Now that fall is in full swing and winter is just around the corner, winter squashes are popping up in grocery stores and on menus. These are some of the tastiest, longest lasting, most versatile vegetables the season has to offer, full of vitamins and minerals, basically making them the perfect winter food.
These varieties come in many shapes and sizes, from scalloped and large to small and round, with colors ranging from pale yellow to bright reddish orange to blackish green. Most are vine-ripened fruit that are harvested only when fully mature (three months or more), and have developed tough, inedible rinds, quite a contrast from the summer squash, harvested when aren’t quite ripe yet with skins that are often eaten. Because of this, even after harvested, they can last for months in cool temperatures.
Some of the most popular winter squash varieties are acorn, butternut and spaghetti. Acorn squash is, as it sounds, small and shaped like an acorn, with ribs that run the length of its rind. Because of its convenient size (usually 1-3 lbs) and sweet, fibrous flesh, it’s very easy to slice and bake with in pies, breads or muffins. Depending on particular varietals, the color can range from greenish-black to yellow gold.
Butternut squash, probably the most popular of the winter squash, are large and vase-shaped (2-5 lbs), practically screaming autumn with its yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it becomes increasingly more orange, sweeter and richer, tasting of butterscotch or nuts. Because of this, it is often roasted and featured in sweet and savory applications like soups, salads, gratins and raviolis.
Spaghetti squash, pale ivory to pale yellow and cylinder-shaped (ranging from 3-8 lbs), is easily one of the unsung heroes of the winter season. Its mild, adaptive flavor complements any food that is served alongside it, and it is very low in calories. When raw, it is dense and similar to other squashes but when cooked, its flesh falls away into strands visually similar to spaghetti (hence its name). It is utilized often as a side dish or in casseroles, sometimes with sauces as a play on actual pasta.
From plain ol' pumpkin to banana squash, acorn to spaghetti, these varieties are delicious and more than anything, really let their seasonality shine. So no matter which you choose or how you decide to use it, enjoy it, and eat fresh, eat local, always!
