Winter Squash

Winter Squash are called "winter" because they keep well, in moderately chilled conditions, and so will last all winter. They're actually harvested in late summer and early fall; right now, in fact. The Pacific Northwest area as a whole is a fabulous region for winter squash; local farmers grow them readily, and you can find them at farmers' markets, road side stands, and even chain grocery stores sell locally grown winter squash, of all sorts. There's an astounding variety of winter squash, but they all tend to have a tough rind or peel, seeds that need to be removed, and soft sweet pulp that's exceedingly edible, quite flavorful, and amenable to being cooked in a variety of ways, including baking, mashing, and being cubed to use in soups.

This site pictures and describes the basic types of winter squash. In general, when you're shopping for winter squash, you want a tough rind; a soft rind is best avoided as a sign of a bad or unripe and immature squash that was picked too early. The rind may be lumpy and uneven; that's normal. Avoid winter squash with punctures, or cuts, or bruises and soft areas, or that have any sign or mold or mildew; your nose may be the best guide to that. If you have a root cellar or even an ordinary dry basement, you can easily store winter squash all winter long; you want the temperature to be between 40 and 55 degrees farenheit is about right, and you want the squash to be kept dry. An easy way to keep them for up to six months is to store them on stacks of dry newspapers. You want to be able to see them, to make sure that they're keeping well, so don't wrap or cover them tightly.

Baked winter squash is incredibly easy to prepare, and a lovely fall side dish, and very nutritious.

1. Rinse a winter squash of your choice off.
2. Using a very sharp knife (the rind is very tough), cut the squash in half; this is generally going to be a two-step process, since the tough rind necessitates cutting one side through to the softer middle, then turning the squash, and cutting the other side.
3. Scoop out the sides and fibers from the middle.
4. Depending on the size of the squash, you may want to quarter it.
5. Add a dab of butterand a dash of salt to the center of each piece, and place in a 350F oven.
6. Bake the squash for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the pieces. The center should be fairly soft, and about the firmness of a baked potato.
7. Many people add cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, or any number of other seasonings.

Once the squash is baked, you can serve it as is, in the shell, or scoop out the middle and mash or puree it. If you remove the squash before it is completely cooked, you can allow it too cool, and then peel it, and cut it up for use in soups, stews, or casseroles.

This site has a number of excellent suggestions about ways to prepare squash. Here's another collection of winter squash recipes. I particularly want to call your attention to this fabulous recipe for butternut squash creme brulee.