WINTER SQUASH

SQUASH IS AMAZING. Isn’t it crazy that a plant could make such a complex thing from one slim seed? When I think of squash, I imagine this rough, rugged, almost mutantlike indigenous plant of North America that’s both grotesque and fascinating at the same time. Squash have a rough-hewn quality that masks their sweet interior, much like the tough-looking young cooks who come to interview with me at the restaurant—and then I discover how soft-hearted and thoughtful they are. Winter squash is one of the three sisters—squash, corn, and beans—that Native Americans grew together. Many varieties of winter squash have flesh that’s generally darker and denser than summer squash, with less fiber and a higher sugar content. Each squash I love has its own distinct story: shape, color, country of origin, name. The Japanese varieties red kuri and kabocha taste exceptionally good, and I love the French Rouge vif d’Etampes, aka Cinderella pumpkin; the Long Island Cheese pumpkin; as well as butternut, delicata, and spaghetti squash. I like my squash on the smaller side: They’re easier to lug home and cut.

Besides these practical reasons, the flesh of smaller squash is denser, with less water to dilute their intense flavor. You could pull many other vegetables out of the garden and not even come close to the primitive and transporting, colorful, and delicious experience of preparing and eating one winter squash.