yummy

a primer on squash

When we go to the market right now, Miss L sees all of the squashes shown below and yells, “Mommy! Look at all those punkins! There’s a green one! And there’s a yellow one!”  And while I correct her and try to teach her all of the different types of squash, I usually can only name three: butternut, acorn and spaghetti.

So when I saw this little squash primer from our local Nugget Markets, I thought I’d not only share it with Miss L on our next trip to the grocery store (she loves memorizing and identifying new things!) so she can be the expert from now on, I thought I’d share it with you too!

aprimeronsquash

 

1. KABOCHA SQUASH
– Green to bluish–gray color
– Deep–yellow flesh
– Rich and sweet flavor
– Dry and flakey when cooked
– Seeds can be roasted
2. DELICATA SQUASH
– Small and elongated with dark green striping
– Soft–textured for easy cutting or chopping
– Tastes similar to sweet potatoes and corn
– Creamy texture
– Seeds are great for roasting
3. SPAGHETTI SQUASH
– Small, watermelon–shaped and yellow–skinned
– Look for ones that are bright yellow
– Mild, nutty flavor
– Flesh separates, resembling noodles when cooked
4. BUTTERNUT SQUASH
– Beige in color and shaped like a bell
– Sweet nutty taste
– Similar in taste to pumpkin
– Excellent roasted, toasted, or puréed for soup
5. CARNIVAL SQUASH
– Looks like acorn squash with orange spots and dark green vertical stripes
– Yellow flesh is excellent baked or steamed
– Flavors of sweet potato and butternut
6. ACORN SQUASH
– Shaped like an acorn
– Sweet, slightly fibrous flesh
– Seeds are great for roasting
7. SWEET DUMPLING SQUASH
– Resembles miniature pumpkin with cream–colored skin and green specks
– Sweet and tender orange flesh
– Perfect for baking and stuffing

**information from Issue 8 (October/November 2012 ) of The Field Guide by Nugget Markets.

p.s. Miss L adores spaghetti squash, and has loved  butternut squash (i.e. ravioli!) since she first started eating! So far she hasn’t enjoyed any pumpkin recipes that aren’t pie… but I’ll keep trying!

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