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Local Foods Corner: Winter squash, a culinary gem in disguise

3 mins read


Buttercup squash

As autumn marches on towards winter, summer’s huge salads and heirloom tomatoes are a thing of the past. Local produce on the table now tends toward hearty items like potatoes, leeks, cabbage, and, of course, the many varieties of winter squash.

While one often finds only one or two winter squash options at the grocery store, a much wider assortment can be found at farmers’ markets and in backyard gardens. Carnival, delicata, hubbard, kabocha, spaghetti, sweet dumpling, turban, gold nugget, banana- these are just a sampling of the many types of winter squash that vary in size, shape, color, and taste.

Ellen James, owner of Island Farm in Avon, informed me that buttercup is the most popular squash variety that she sells. With its irregular shape, dark green rind and paler green “belly button,” its outside appearance belies the sweet and creamy flesh found inside. James notes that this season’s rainy early summer was not ideal for the heat-loving winter squash, but the dryer late summer allowed the crop to pull through.

Winter squash has a rich history in New England. While originating in Mexico and Central America, winter squash production spread north and was grown throughout the United States by various Native American groups. The earliest evidence of winter squash cultivation in Maine has been found in Milo and dates to 3750 B.C.

“This likely represents early evidence of plant domestication, as opposed to a gourd being traded in from the south, or some unrecognized northeastern plant,”, said Bob Bartone, director of Farmington’s Northeast Archaeology Research Center. “By A.D. 1000-1550 people were settling in villages and practicing corn/bean/squash horticulture.”

It seems that winter squash are a more authentic member of the Thanksgiving table than the Africa originating sweet potato.

Whether it be allegiance to a particular variety, disdain for the arduous task of peeling them, or love of a special recipe – people have strong feelings about winter squash. Since they can be stored for several months, winter squash are a link to the local harvest all winter long. With Farmington’s new Saturday winter farmers’ market 10 a.m. to noon at the Grange Hall on Bridge Street in West Farmington, local squash will be available for months to come.

Squash and Kale Pasta

1 winter squash, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 cups kale, chopped
1 lb. pasta
parmesan or romano cheese, grated

Heat broth in separate pot until very hot. Saute onions in large, shallow pan until they start to brown. Add broth and squash to onions. Cover and simmer until squash starts to soften, about 20 minutes. Break up squash with wooden spoon, add kale and continue to simmer until kale in cooked. Serve pasta topped with squash, kale mixture and grate parmesan cheese on top to taste.

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