[Sca-cooks] Chayote

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

From: "Mercy Neumark" <mneumark at hotmail.com>
>  > I am considering this recipe for later this week, but I'm not sure
>  > what a "Chayote" is. I think this may be the pale, round, greenish
>  > pepper thing with a thin papery skin that I've seen in the grocery,
>  > but I'm not sure. So, can someone tell me what a Chayote is? And just
>  > in case I can't find one, some possible substitutes?
>
>http://www.cuisinenet.com/digest/season/summer/late/veg.shtml
>
>I think its considered a squash.  You'd probably be fine with a butternut
>squash or something close to it, I would imagine.
>
>--Artemesia

Nope, nope, nope. A chayote/christophene is nothing like a butternut
squash in color, texture, flavor, etc., etc., etc.

The page below has a photo of the chayote, as well as pattypan and
other summer squashes, in case you're not sure how they look
http://www.foodsubs.com/Squashsum.html

My personal experience with both chayote and squashes is that a
"winter"-type squash is totally unsuitable, while a "summer"-type
squash would be closer. For some reason i'm not fond of zucchini and
recommend patty pan if you can't get chayote.

The page below has photos of several winter squashes, including the
butternut, which is *very* different from a chayote...
http://www.foodsubs.com/Squash.html

Anahita