Hardy, Versatile, Delicious Winter Squash

Various members of the gourd family are known as squash, and they fall into two categories - summer squash and winter squash. The terms don’t really define the types clearly, because today’s global economy means that summer squashes may be available in some areas year-round. But in general, summer squash are usually available in the summer and winter squashes come around in early autumn and winter. The terminology dates back to a time when people had to pay attention to the change of seasons in order to survive. Decades ago, winter vegetables such as winter squash were said to be "good keepers" if they could "keep" until November or December without going bad.

Every part of a squash plant is edible - including the leaves, blossoms, and seeds. Winter squash can be round, elongated, pear-shaped, or scalloped around the edges. The flesh of winter squashes can range anywhere from golden yellow to bright orange. Winter squash typically grow on vines, and fruits are harvested only when they reach full maturity. It takes 3-4 months longer for winter squash to mature than it does for summer squash, and it is best to harvest them after the cool weather of autumn sets in. Because of this longer growing time, winter squash can be stored for months at a time in a cool basement or root cellar.

A wide variety of winter squash can be found to suit anyone’s tastes and preferences:

Acorn squash probably the most popular winter squash, are easy to find in produce stands and supermarkets throughout the fall and winter. The squash weigh about 1 to 3 pounds and are shaped similar to an acorn, hence the name. Acorn squashes are very easy to cut in half or peel and slice. They are delicious served with melted butter and brown sugar. Acorn squash are traditionally dark green in color, but now there are new varieties of acorn squash that are golden yellow or multicolored. However, the only difference is in the color of the skin; all acorn squash taste the same.

Butternut squash is also easy to find in supermarkets in the autumn and winter. Butternut squash are shaped like a vase, and are beige or light brown in color. The flavor of this squash is similar to a sweet potato, with a sweet, slightly nutty flavor. A butternut squash usually weighs between 2 and 5 pounds, and the darker the outside is, the riper and sweeter the flesh inside will be. Butternut squash are delicious cubed or mashed with butter and brown sugar, but they can also be cooked in chicken broth and pureed into soup.

Spaghetti squash is a small oval squash shaped like a watermelon, ranging from 2 to 5 pounds in size. The outer rind is golden yellow, and the flesh is soft and mild, with a nutty flavor. When it is cooked, the flesh can be separated into strands of fibers that look like spaghetti, hence the name. Unlike many vegetables, larger spaghetti squash are usually more flavorful than the smaller ones. The yellower the color, the riper and more flavorful the inside flesh will be. You can store spaghetti squash for about a month at room temperature, or they can be cooked and frozen. Read more about Spaghetti Squash Recipes.

Turban squash is a very colorful squash that is often used as a table decoration. Colors vary from green and white to bright orange and yellow, or a mixture of all colors. The inside flesh is golden yellow, and tastes similar to hazelnut. Turban squashes come in bizarre-looking shapes, with a bulbous cap sprouting from the blossom end of the squash. Some people slice the top off, hollow out the squash, and fill it with soup.

Hubbard squashes are one of the longest-keeping winter squashes. This old-fashioned squash is very large and shaped irregularly, with a bumpy bluish-gray skin. The skin must be removed and the large seeds must be scooped out before cooking the dense inside flesh. Hubbard squash may be packaged and sold in pieces by some markets, rather than being sold whole, because they can grow to be very large. The flesh is yellow and very moist, and usually takes longer to cook than other squashes. The most popular cooking methods for hubbard squash are to peel and boil the flesh, cut it up and roast it, or chop it into small pieces and sautee or steam it. Hubbard squash can be stored for up to six months in cool weather, and although they will shrink a little bit over time, they will still be delicious.

Buttercup squash are members of the same family as the turban squash. They have a hard shell and are shaped like a turban, with a sweet, creamy yellow-orange flesh. The buttercup squash is much sweeter than most other varieties of winter squash, and can be mashed, baked, steamed, pureed, or stuffed. Buttercup squash can be used to replace sweet potatoes in many food recipes. There are also several sub-classifications of squashes in the buttercup family, including the dark-green autumn cup squash and the amber cup squash, which looks like a small pumpkin.

If you’ve seen winter squash in the market and have always wondered how they differ from summer squash, then give them a try! They may have similar names, but they are quite different in how they are stored and cooked, and the taste of winter squash is markedly different. There are dozens of exciting varieties of winter squash available - head to your local farmer’s market or supermarket and stock up on squashes that will delight your taste buds all winter long.