Winter Squash and Pumpkin

A real sign of fall are the bright displays of pumpkins and winter squash at roadside stands. Winter squash are picked before a heavy frost as the spot where they lay on the ground turns orange. Pumpkins, of course, turn from green to orange when ripe. Each year I grow a hill of pumpkins, the variety New England Pie, which I use for pie and soup and a middle eastern dip. The big green squashes are Sweet Mama, a hybrid that is very similar to Buttercup, which was my favorite till trying Mama. The small cream colored fruits are Sweet Dumpling, somewhat similar to the very popular elongated Delicata. I found Delicata's flavor too cloyingly sweet, while Sweet Dumpling is just right: each squash a wonderfully sweet and creamy treat.

The squashes are lined up on the porch so as to be in the sun for a few days to cure, though they also provide aesthetic pleasure: the skins must become hard so that they will keep well. Later on, my cool guest room becomes a winter storage area for squashes and onions and garlic.