SUMMER SQUASH

The squash is a truly American vegetable, along with corn.  The word “squash” is derived from “askutasquash,” which literally means “a green thing eaten raw” in the language of the Nahahiganseck, the native Americans who controlled the area surrounding Narragansett Bay in present-day Rhode Island, portions of Connecticut and eastern Massachusetts.  The squash is a versatile vegetable.  While some squash, such as winter squash, require cooking, others, such as the zucchini-type squash, can be prepared in every conceivable way: raw, sautéed, grilled, steamed, boiled, broiled, baked, fried, microwaved or freeze-dried.  Easily puréed for soups, cakes, pies and quick breads, it also can be spiced and added to rice pilafs, cubed and grilled on skewers, stuffed and roasted, added to stews and made into famous dishes like ratatouille and calabacitas.  Served alone or as a side dish, the squash lends itself to many occasions.

To many who grow it in their garden, the summer squash seems to be the vegetable that would solve world hunger.  Indeed, they grow fast and in seemingly infinite quantities.  Crooked Sky Farms grows many different varieties of them: Mexican grays, yellow crookneck, eight-ball, gold ball, pattypan, sunburst, zucchini and more.  We hope you will enjoy them.