It’s home.grown. Hard Squash Season!
When it comes to autumn, no food represents the season like the colorful rinds and stout shapes of squash. We’re proud to source our hard squashes from local farmers here in the Northeast each fall. Kinderhook Creek Farm in Stephentown, NY and Hoover’s Produce in Port Trevorton, PA plant hard squash seeds in the spring and ship their harvest to us in early September.
Beyond butternut, a common winter squash, expand your palate this season with some of these lesser-known but equally flavorful squash varieties.
Spaghetti
When roasted, the flesh inside this pale, oval-shaped squash separates into creamy, tender strands that resemble spaghetti. Spaghetti squash is mild tasting, so accent it with bold sauces or seasonings. It’s also the perfect low-carb substitute any way you sauce it, as well as the ideal substitute for rice noodles in Asian-style noodle bowls.
Delicata
Delicata squash is ridged, earthy-tasting and has a creamy consistency. This squash’s thin, edible skin allows it to be cooked more quickly than other varieties. Sliced into scalloped rings or half-moons, delicata is excellent steamed, sautéed with olive oil and herbs, or added to simmering soups and stews.
Sweet Dumpling
Typically baked or roasted with the skin on, sweet dumpling squash has smooth textures and appear mini in size. They make an excellent addition to green salads, grain bowls, and soups or puréed and added to mashed potatoes for a boost in flavor and nutrients.
Acorn
With a shape resembling an acorn, this squash has an orange-colored flesh with a delicious, mildly nutty taste. Look for varieties with a dull, green rind for the tenderest flesh. Acorn squash is great baked with the center scooped out and stuffed with a savory filling like rice pilaf or soup.
