[Sca-cooks] Winter Squash

[Terry Decker]

The green skinned pumpkins you are describing are often called Japanese
pumpkins (because several new varieties have been produced in Japan).  They
are New World squashes related to the acorn squash.  Flesh color tends to be
yellow to orange, but some varietals have a light green flesh.  They appear
in some late period paintings, most notably Campi's "The Fruit Seller."

The painting is used as an illustration in a fairly recent edition of
Elizabeth David's work on Italian cooking and they are identified as marrows
in the caption of a detail illustration.  I suspect the term "marrow" is
being generalized in this case as the shape is wrong for Cucurbita ovifera.

If you can't find these big green squashes, I would suggest substituting
acorn squash.

Bear

>The orangy pumpkin squash is a new world squash, but in many parts of the
>world they have a similar type squash with a greenish skin that is also
>called pumpkin.  Some types are a richer colour of orange inside and a much
>richer flavor.  You can usually find these types of squashes in a latino
>store or international market, either whole or cut into pieces as they can
>get to be quite large.  There is one or two types with a slightly different
>skin colour that is more yellow inside and less flavorful than even our
>orange pumpkin.  Probably Bear will give a rundown on all the name and
place
>facts.
>Olwen