Squashing Summer
Posted by Steve Greco on
“By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer's best of weather
And autumn's best of cheer.”
Helen Hunt Jackson
American Poet and Activist
With fall on our doorstep, we at Big Spoon feel so fortunate to have access to a plethora of fresh vegetables from right here in the North Country. While summer has been fantastic for produce, fall brings some of our favorite to use: squash! While squash is a group of fruits (yeah, not a vegetable!) that some people find off putting, they are one of the most ancient groups of food on the planet, with archeological evidence tracing their origins back roughly 10,000 years. Regarded as one of the "Three Sisters" crops by Native Americans, squash have been a staple of many culture's diets for good reason. Loaded with vitamin A and C while containing significant amounts of vitamins E, B6, and B2 as well as antioxidants and minerals, squash is high in fiber, low in fat and calories, and definitely deserves a spot in everyone's diet. Versatile enough to be baked, mashed, roasted, grilled, pureed into sauces or dips, or even made into patties, there is a squash recipe out there for everyone, and we'll do our best to help you find yours.