If the man at your local farm stand tells you that squash is actually a fruit, he's not out of his gourd. Some dictionary definitions, which state squash is a fruit eaten as a vegetable, may seem like food doublespeak, but let the taste and versatility of this year-round delight speak for itself.
Epicurious Food, the culinary half of a duplex Web site shared with Epicurious Travel, serves up a huge helping of info about the 12-month, fruit-veggie for the gourmet gardener or squash-challenged. There are many different types of summer squash and winter squash, both of which can be prepared in a variety of ways.
The most popular summer squash are crookneck and zucchini, which can be steamed, baked, sautéed or deep-fried. The thicker-skinned winter squash include acorn, butternut and spaghetti, and can keep for a month or more in a cool, but not refrigerated, place. Both are good sources of Vitamins A and C, as well as iron, riboflavin and niacin -- all great friends of the ThirdAge set.
Click on Recipes for more than 100 ways to fix squash, from sausage-stuffed acorn squash with molasses glaze to plain ol' butternut squash and noodles with coconut, lime and cilantro sauce. Or eat it raw.
