TanksHill...Roll on!!

[AL]

WOW that is a monster! I don't think I have ever heard of Cushaw? Looks yum though!

Yeah, heat index is how hot it "feels"... we have such high humidity here it really pumps up the heat index, and it is so muggy you feel like you are breathing mud. blah

but hot is hot so I hope things settle for you!!

 

[PamsPride]

That Cushaw is huge!

I would have been pinching pennies and turning the coach upside down for change to get that cider press! I have free access to all the apples I could ever want and I would LOVE to have one of these!

 

[dacjohns]

I know. Julian is a bit of a drive. I am going to need to convince my dh.

It isn't that far.

The hills in the background in your photos look familiar.

 

[TanksHill]

Those hills look like every other hill in Vista. Just down the road from The Pepper Tree.

 

[kimnkell]

Murphys, It's actually humid here now. The heat is tolerable but I am all sticky!!!! That little device you have must be pretty cool!!!

Al, to be honest I don't really understand the concept of "heat index". From what I gather its how hot it feel when humdidity is taken into consideration???

Ok so this is what I have in the oven. Yes I am baking. I had to. I had roasted two chickens over the weekend and had pot pie planned for today. But anyways. I am baking one of my Cushaw. Now some of these grew with a bulb end and a few grew huge and straight. This one had an odd end so I figured it should be cooked first. Check this thing out.

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/333_img_2198.jpghttp://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/333_img_2199.jpg

It's solid squash. There is sooooo much all from one squash.

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/333_img_2202.jpg

I did not weigh this one but i had a 9lb one the other day.

I'm thinking Pie!!!!!

wow, that thang is huge!

 

[lorihadams]

Wow.....where are the seeds?

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Massive!! What does cushaw taste like?

 

[miss_thenorth]

Chiming in here about the cushaw also.
What does it taste like?
What do you normally do with it?
Where are the seeds?
Do you have enough for all of us?

I LOVE squash!!!

 

[TanksHill]

Ok so this is the scoop. I planted a mixed pack of heirloom winter squash seeds I got from Baker Creek.. Out of a 25 ft garden bed I had two things grow.

The Cushaw, which took some effort identifying. I actually picked the first two very immature because I thought they were a tender squash. Not. So they grew like crazy. Huge vines that stretched about 20 ft down hill. I ended up with about 20 to 25 medium to huge squash. This is what I assumed I had. I left my squash on the vine to cure. it turned the color of butternut. ????
http://rareseeds.com/cart/products/Cushaw_White_Squash-978-95.html

Most of the squash I have look a bit like the one in the link. With a large bulbous end and some seeds and stringy stuff like a pumpkin. I grew 3 that looked like the one I showed above. They were huge and long and averaged like 6- 8 inches in diameter but did not have a bulbous end. I picked the last one this morning and it weighed in at 13 lbs. No seeds in it at all. Zip, zero, solid squash.

The second squash was what I believed to be a Lebanese White. I did pick those early, eat tender, chop and treat like a summer squash. They were great. BUT then I was reading my Back to Basics book and they basically said anything on a vine is considered a winter squash and anything on a bush is summer. Well thees were definitely on a vine. So after being bombarded with small white squash for months I left them alone. I had about 10 growing huge. They eventually cured and turned pale yellow. Uhhh Spaghetti Squash????? I don't know. They do cook up stringy.

So I don't know what to say anymore. I started with a mixed pack of squash and ended up with a pantry full. I guess it really does not matter what they are. They taste great an are storing really well.

Oh, by the way. The Cushaw cooks up just like a Butternut. I should have taken a pic of the ones I roasted for dinner. A nice roasted orange color. I just peeled the bit of skin off the outside edge and mushed it up with butter and a bit of brown sugar. It was wonderful.

I am going to try to make a pie with whats left. I fed my family of 5 who love squash and still have about 4-5 cups squash left. Just from the one I baked last night.

So that's about it on those. I will definitely be saving the seeds and planting it again next year.

g

 

[PamsPride]

Wow! Neat!