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The fruits of summer may be nearing their end for the
year, but winter squash, which comes in hundreds of varieties and a
plethora of sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors, is a tasty, nutritious fall
treat. Butternut squash is one of the most popular winter
squash. This long, tan, pear-shaped squash has a thin rind that’s
easy to cut away or peel off with the use of a vegetable peeler. Acorn squash, a small fruit, is shaped like its
namesake and comes in a variety of skin colors, including dark green, gold,
and white. The cooked flesh of spaghetti squash resembles thin
strands of pasta, hence its name — and you can use the flesh as a
low-calorie, low-starch pasta substitute. The delicate, Hubbard, and buttercup varieties are
also popular. Unlike summer squash, which are harvested in the
immature stage, winter squash are harvested when the fruit is mature. The
rind of a mature fruit is hard and cannot be punctured with a fingernail.
It should have a dull, dry appearance that is free of cracks or soft spots.
(It’s important to avoid injuring the rind.) Cut fruit from the vine,
leaving a 2- to 3-inch stem — but avoid handling fruit by the stem
alone, because the weight of the fruit can cause the stem to break.
Winter squash, must be harvested before a heavy
frost, generally in September or October. A light frost will kill the vines
but not harm the fruit. Most winter squash, with the exception of the acorn
and delicata varieties, will benefit from a curing process. Simply place
your squash in an area with a temperature between 70 and 80 degrees for 10
days. Stored properly, winter squash have a long shelf
life. Optimum storage conditions for most winter squash consist of a cool,
dark location (50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, 50 to 75 percent relative
humidity) with good air circulation. If possible, store your squash in a
single layer and keep them from touching one another. Except for Hubbard
squash, all winter squash should be stored with the stems attached.
Properly cured and stored, squash should remain in good condition for
several months. Acorn squash can be stored for as long as two months,
butternut for three, and Hubbard for as long as six. Winter squash must be cooked before being eaten. Most
can be baked, boiled, or steamed. The tough rind and hard seeds are not
edible. The rind is a challenge for most cooks to cut.
Winter squash are often eaten as a side dish flavored
with salt and butter, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, or basil; they are
also sweetened with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. Winter squash can
also be incorporated into soups, stews, casseroles, pies, muffins, and
cakes.
If you didn’t have the opportunity to grow your
own winter squash this year, be sure to visit the Old Capitol
Farmers’ Market. Most growers offer several varieties. · Want to learn what’s eating your
favorite vegetable before you get to it? University of Illinois Extension
horticulture educator Jim Schuster will help you with common vegetable
insect pest identification. Schuster will provide information on 15
critters — insects, slugs, and wildlife — that are often found
attacking vegetable gardens and discuss both organic and inorganic
controls. The program will be offered at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, and
again on at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, at the Sangamon-Menard Extension
offices, on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. To reserve a seat and a packet
of information, call 217-782-4617. The cost is $2 per session.
Jennifer Fishburn is a horticulture educator with the
University of Illinois Extension Sangamon Menard Unit. Contact her at
www.extension.uiuc.edu/Sangamon.
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2007.
