Fall is harvest season and winter squash are at their most bountiful during this time of year. Unlike summer squash, such as zucchini, winter squash are distinguished by their hard, thick and inedible rinds. A great benefit of their thick skin is that winter squash will keep well for long periods of time. In fact, if you keep them in a cool, dark place, they can stay fresh for up to several months. Here’s a look at five different types of winter squash, and delicious recipes to try for each!
Acorn squash
Indicated by its name, this winter squash is shaped like an acorn and usually weighs about one to three pounds. The acorn squash has a hard skin that is very dark green or golden yellow in colour. The flesh is slightly fibrous in texture and sweet in taste. It is an excellent baking squash.
Butternut squash
This large, pear-shaped winter squash usually weighs about two to five pounds and has a smooth skin that is beige in colour. The flesh is a deep orange colour and has a sweet, nutty flavour that is similar in taste to sweet potato. As the butternut squash ripens, the colour of the skin will start to turn a deep orange. The deeper the colour of the skin, the sweeter in taste the flesh becomes. Butternut squash is excellent baked, steamed or simmered.
Fairytale pumpkin
Known as "Musquée de Provence" in French, this type of squash has a very distinct coach-like shape with a skin that is deep orange and brown in colour. The flesh is a deep orange colour and is thick but also tender. Fairytale pumpkins are best when baked, bringing out the sweet and flavourful taste of the flesh. Their unique shape and vibrant colour also make them excellent for not only eating but fall decorating as well.
Hubbard
This large winter squash has a thick, hard and bumpy shell with skin ranging from dark green to bright orange. Hubbards are available whole or, if extremely large, cut into pieces. The flesh is yellow-orange in colour and has a grainy texture. Hubbard squash is best boiled or baked and then mashed or pureed.
Spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash gets its name from the fact that, when cooked, the flesh separates into strands resembling spaghetti pasta. This small, watermelon-shaped squash has a golden yellow colour to it. The more yellow the colour of the skin, the riper the flesh becomes and the better it tastes. The golden yellow flesh has a mild, nut-like flavour. To prepare spaghetti squash, cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Bake or boil it and once tender, simply use a fork to rake out the stringy flesh.
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