Vienna Farmers Market: Squashed

Hello again and welcome back everyone for the last three markets of 2012 at the Vienna Farmers Market. We hope to see everyone this Saturday at the caboose parking lot where we'll be open from 8 a.m. until noon. It is the perfect weather to come on down and get some hot tea, hot coffee, and/or lemonade and enjoy a walk around the market browsing and shopping. The Vienna Farmers Market will be open for three more great Saturdays: Oct. 13, 20 and 27. As sponsors of the Vienna Market, the Optimist Club of Greater Vienna will collecting new and gently used clothing for homeless teens and children during these last three weeks at the market. There will be bins at the front and back of the market each Saturday. We are looking for outerwear, gloves, hats, socks, shoes, shirts, pants, active wear etc. We will be accepting cash donations as well. Thanks for your consideration. If you have questions please inquire at manager@viennafarmersmarket.com

This week let's talk pumpkins, ornamental gourds and squash available at the market this weekend. Of all the questions I get asked at the market the ones I enjoy the most are the ones about gourds and squash. Because I find these wonderful fruits so darn delightful and, yes, fun! They are easy to cook with and once you've mastered them your family and friends will be amazed.

Let's start with one of my favorites which is Delicata Squash or what I commonly call the sweet potato squash. It is oblong, yellow in color with green stripes. It is usually a perfect size for two people and is great baked or cooked anyway you might make a sweet potato. Personally, I slice it as thinly as I can and then put in the steamer. Then add a balance of dried fruits and nuts, and it's a perfect side dish.

Butternut Squash is a sweet and nutty winter squash that is wonderful served roasted. The most challenging thing about this squash is the cutting of it, but once it done, roast or grill it with some simple basting and voila! It can also be purred or mashed and used in soups or in any way that you would use pumpkin.

Acorn Squash is a dark green exterior husked winter squash has a magnificent orange fleshy interior. It is a magnificent squash introduced to settlers by Native Americans; it is also called a pepper squash and is very easy to grow like pumpkins. It is also easy to cook. The easiest recipe for this delightful gourd is to cut the fruit in half, scoop out the seeds, put ½ tbsp of butter in each add ½ tbsp of brown sugar to each along with a tsp of maple syrup to taste (this may be too sweet). Cook both halves in a baking dish for 6 to 8 minutes in the microwave (depending on wattage of microwave).

Carnival Squash have hard skins and are multicolored in yellows, greens and whites (sometimes orange). Only the flesh is eaten. The flavor is similar to that of butternut, pumpkin and sweet potato. They can be baked, steamed or microwaved. They are best cooked with herbs, olive oil or butter.

Sweet Dumpling Squash is my friend Carol's favorite squash as it is the perfect size for individual servings. A pale orange cream colored gourd, it is often lined with green or orange colorings. It is sweet and tender when cooked. When you hold one in your hand you are tempted to call it sweet. It is perfect for roasting or baking and then scooping out its yummy contents.

All of the winter squashes will store for at least a month or more if you keep them in cool dry areas (think of your grandmothers root cellars or other suitable locales) If you come to the market and have questions about the pumpkins, squashes or gourds, please ask questions. The farmers are there to answer questions and you will be surprised how delighted they will be to help you pick something out. Or look around for me, Farmer SJ, I’ll be glad to help you. See you next week.