Hubbard squash

[redbird]

We bought a Hubbard squash at the Greenmarket this morning, because it looked reasonable (that is, ripe, and not too big). cattitude baked it for dinner tonight, treating it the same way we do acorn squash*.

My first thought was that it was okay, but that I liked acorn squash better; Cattitude agreed. Then I scraped too close to the skin of the squash, and got a bitter-tasting forkful. After hitting the skin again, I carefully took a spoon and scooped out a mouthful without touching the skin of the squash. Still bitter. My best guess is that once I'd primed my mouth with even the bit of bitterness, I couldn't not taste it when I ate more of the squash. Cattitude confirmed that he tasted a bit of bitterness; I'm not sure whether that part of the squash was bitterer than the rest, or if he just hadn't been aware of that flavor until I said something. Possibly a bit of both: even after the squash started tasting bitter, the sea scallops (sauteed with bits of bell pepper) didn't.

So, yes, it's food, but I don't think we're likely to buy it again: we'll probably stick to acorn and butternut squash.

*Cut the squash in half, put the halves face down on a baking dish, bake at 400°F (200°C), and when it's almost done turn it over, pour in butter (or margarine) and maple syrup, cook a few more minutes, serve.

Comments

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

When I lived in St. Catharines, Ontario, and saw a vegetable man weekly, he'd advertise that sort of squash by saying jovially, "Hubbard squash, madam? It's warty!"

I have never tasted it. :D I'm also more of a butternut/acorn guy.

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

It's been many years since I've grown them, but I'd suggest that a Hubbard squash that looks about the right size for two people might be small enough to be less than fully-ripe. Actually, I don't especially like squashes (although your mention, here, will probably cause me to get a small one -- probably "butternut" -- in the near future), and I don't recall "bitterness" as part of my interaction with any varieties. (With the exception of a few random volunteers that were probably hybrids with inedibie gourds, at the Community Gardens.)