Don’t Get “Bored”

What’s a squash lover to do?

By Jan Leitschuh

You know the old joke about zucchini in small towns? How you dare not leave your car windows down on the street or some neighbor will kindly donate a bagful of the oversized green vegetables, thanks to their prolific abundance. Maybe that friendly donor was even you.

Well, that never happened here. Not after our first year of gardening.

Sure, that initial garden season, we were flush. The bugs hardly knew we were here. If a person finally licks his or her deer problem (more on that in a later column), what’s left to decimate the summer squash? Vine-killing squash borers, in spades.

Word of our organic venture zapped out swiftly on the bug internet. Now we have well-established borer populations that allow us one — count ’em, one — delicious early flush of zukes, and then they take out the vines at the base like commandos.

Working organically, I had a little luck spraying a kaolin clay barrier product developed for orchards, called “Surround,” but I generally forget to apply it in time. I also plant summer squash in flushes, trying to space out several plantings to have enough to freeze. But you have to remember to do this in a timely fashion.

Squash vine borers (Melittia cucurbitae) are a major problem for organic gardeners. The adult squash vine borer is a colorful moth, 5/8 inch long with orange and black legs. The adult may be mistaken for a wasp in the garden. Young larvae hatch from dark reddish brown eggs and grow to about one inch with a whitish body and brown head.

Borer larvae tunnel into the base of the plant and interrupt the flow of water and nutrients. The larvae feed on plant tissue, hollowing it out, so the plants begin to wither. The homeowner waters, thinking the plants are dry. But the vines don’t perk up, instead continuing to yellow and die. If you cut open the stem of a decimated plant, you may see several. I feed them to the chickens when I can.

What’s a squash lover to do? Squash can help lower blood sugar, being a good complex carb. It’s known for its ability to boost the immune system, help prevent certain types of cancer, improve vision, protect the skin, strengthen the bones, reduce blood pressure, maintain fluid balance, regulate blood sugar and cholesterol, improve digestion, and maintain proper circulation. It’s good stuff, and it’s tasty too. Squash is the ultimate easy side dish, amenable to any number of spices and flavorings.

This is the year I decided to learn about winter squashes. Yes, I could have gone with physical barriers like row covers or wrapping individual stems of my summer squash but, until retirement looms, those efforts will remain spotty.

When I learned the best defense against borers is to plant squash varieties that are squash vine borer-resistant, I started researching. And first on the list was a favorite, a winter squash — butternut.

Waltham Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is said to be reasonably tolerant of the vine borer, as are most other butternut types. Showing up as summer drifts into the cooler relief of fall, we love butternut squashes for their wonderful taste, and use them in soups, casseroles and baking. What is easier than halving a butternut, scooping out the little pocket of seeds at the ball end, dropping in some butter or olive oil and microwaving — or better, yet, roasting, to bring out the sweetness?

The flesh of butternut squash is close-grained and sweet-nutty. The beauty of butternut, and its cousin acorn, is that it rises to nearly any flavor occasion.

Want sweet? Sprinkle some cinnamon, brown sugar, rum-soaked raisins, maple syrup, pecans, apples, honey, walnuts, pear-fig sauce, orange zest, peach-habanero jam or any combo of the above that suits your taste buds, and roast for a healthy dessert. Any of these stand in for dessert, or go great with pork as a fall side dish.

Want savory? Any number of spices can change the character of this versatile veggie nightly: curries, cayenne, sage, bouillon stock granules, garlic and olive oil, oregano and hot pepper flakes, thyme, simple salt and pepper. Bake fries from them, smother them in cheese, cram them into chicken stock to make soups. Baked, roasted, caramelized, mashed, cubed, casseroled, shredded and hashed, frittered and fried, there are myriad iterations. Since they will store for many months in a cool pantry, basement or under-cabinet, they’re fine for winter use. Butternuts are also easy to grow so they make good choices for novice, as well as experienced, gardeners. Next year, they will have a place in our garden.

There are other choices beyond butternut. The University of Illinois Extension reports that Blue Hubbard (Cucurbita maxima “Blue Hubbard”) performs best against squash vine borers, followed by the slightly less resistant Cucurbita maxima “Boston Marrow” and Cucurbita maxima “Golden Delicious” varieties of hubbard squash. The extension also reports that two pumpkin varieties, Cucurbita pepo “Connecticut Field” and Cucurbita pepo “Small Sugar” — both heirloom varieties — also perform well. All of these are good keepers and cheerily decorative in autumn displays.

Another Mediterranean heirloom called cucuzzi (Lagenaria siceraria), also known as either the snake gourd or Italian edible gourd — though technically not a squash — is said to be indistinguishable in taste from a sweet squash or pumpkin and is highly resistant to vine borers. The long slender fruit is pale green and twists and spirals like a snake, hence its most common name.

Finally, the hefty, green-striped cushaw (Cucurbita mixta) is an old heirloom and one tough vegetable, grown by native Americans since prehistoric times. Drought tolerant and insect resistant — including the squash vine borer — it’s also reported to be an excellent keeper and great-tasting variety for use in pies or for snacking on seeds. You get your money’s worth with a cushaw squash — they can grow to be massive, though homeowners may wish to pick them smaller. It’s the ultimate winter storage food, so if you get a big one be ready to prepare it all and freeze the rest or serve it up to a crowd.

Here are two simple recipes to render your winter squash meals delicious, however you acquire them.

Winter Squash Caramel

2 medium butternut squash

6 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cube squash, removing seeds. In a bowl, toss cubes with the remaining ingredients. Spread in a baking dish and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, turning occasionally, until glaze begins to caramelize. Remove when tender and serve hot.

Easy Spicy-Savory Squash

Using the same prep as above, instead toss cubes with olive oil, thyme, black pepper, salt and a little cayenne pepper. Roast in a baking dish, single layer, covered, for 30-45 minutes, until soft, then stir in 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese. Sprinkle additional cheese on top and serve hot.  PS

Jan Leitschuh is a local gardener, avid eater of fresh produce and co-founder of the Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative.

Simply De-Vine

Watermelon makes cool, refreshing memories

By Jan Leitschuh

August boasts an abundance of produce, but it’s also a time of change. The blasting heat usually causes a decline in some produce while bringing others forward. Early August offers up outstanding freestone peaches, cantaloupe, sweet bell peppers, honeydew melons, heirloom tomatoes, the very last of summer’s blueberries, and watermelon in the markets and local gardens, before easing into okra, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, field peas, muscadines and more peaches late in the month.

This means it’s often your last chance to grab a really fine, peak-season summer watermelon. If you love watermelon but have been avoiding the hefty fruit because “it’s just too much,” and you lack refrigerator space, then this word salad is for you.

The South is known for its really fine melons, and Sandhills melons are the apex. The light sandy soil lets vine-producing nitrogen slip on through, while retaining more of the minerals that encourage sweet fruits. The result, say some of our local farmers, is that produce buyers from other states seek them out. Watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the United States.

Memories have been made around the massive red fruits. Before air-conditioning — that culture-changing innovation that swept folks off their porches and into the interior of their houses — an iced melon was a genuine refreshment, and a worthy excuse for social lollygagging. Perhaps this is a practice worthy of reinvention?

Watermelons are, in essence, a social fruit. They come in big, unwieldy packages and need refrigeration after cutting. To be fully eaten, they need to be shared.

My husband, a Charlotte native, recalls his Uncle Sam bringing over a chilled watermelon on sunny summer Sundays. Chances were, he grew it in his own large truck garden. Three generations of Millers would gather in the backyard as Sam split the melon into juicy, seedy slices. A saltshaker appeared on the old yard table.

The grownups would sit around under the shade tree, telling family stories, rocking on those old 1950s metal chairs with the tubular loops that glided back and forth. Grandma Miller would air herself with an old church bulletin, while the young’uns would run around spitting black seeds at each other. The occasional bee would buzz, sipping at the rinds the kids chucked into the neighboring field.

Later, these same children would grow up and gather with their peers, injecting alcoholic adulterants like rum or vodka into their melons.

In an era even earlier, say, Grandma Miller’s younger days, food was unpredictable enough that nothing was wasted. Even the watermelon rinds were preserved for future use, converted into food treats such as watermelon rind candy, pickled watermelon rind, watermelon rind chutney and more. My mom, a Wisconsin gal who loved the South, made them to be consumed with pork in the fall or put on a little crystal dish at Thanksgiving. I’ve only heard of one millennial who has ever tried this, and she learned from a grandmother of the South.

Change is constant, and things are different. Today, the old recipes live on, but their electronic info is stashed on the internet rather than inside a granny-woman’s head. We live less gregarious lives, tucked in our air-conditioned houses on hot days. Farmers grow smaller “icebox” sized melons, easier to consume. Grocery stores offer servings, useful pre-wrapped watermelon slices, or even pre-chunked into handy plastic containers.

Chefs do clever things with melon, carving them up, or making culinary creations that go well beyond simple slicing, salting and eating. A quick search of online recipes reveals, in the first score of offerings, instructions for making: watermelon ice pops (for the kids) and sorbets or sherbets (for all); watermelon gazpacho; watermelon cake; watermelon jellies; watermelon salsa; watermelon agua fresca; watermelon and strawberry lemonade; minted watermelon and cucumber salad — which seemed weird at first, but upon reflection actually makes sense, as the ingredients are juicy, cool and refreshing; and tomato, watermelon and feta skewers.

Something sweet and light has to be a nutritional lightweight, right? I was surprised to learn that watermelon has more lycopene than tomatoes. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, and it also gives watermelon its pink-red color. It’s a splendid source of vitamin C, which strengthens immunity, heals wounds, prevents cell damage and promotes healthy teeth and gums. It also provides vitamin B6, which helps brain function and to convert protein to energy.

Watermelons come in a wide array of sizes with flesh that can be red, pink, yellow or orange. The popular “seedless” varieties contain a few white seeds that are small, soft and edible. By weight, watermelons are 92 percent water — no wonder they’re so hydrating and refreshing!

Tap a ripe melon and you’ll hear a hollow thump. The rind should be smooth, round and unblemished, with a yellow spot on one side where the melon sat on the ground, ripening in the sun. Once cut, store melons in the fridge. Cover slices with plastic, or deconstruct into chunks and cover.

If you need to consume watermelon quickly to free up fridge space, consider using it as a base for healthy, hydrating smoothies, chilled fruit soups or summer drinks. You can freeze leftover drinks for a sort of sorbet treat, or a watermelon ice.

Icy Watermelon Cooler

8 cups (1/2-inch) watermelon cubes

1/3 cup water

1 (6-oz.) can frozen limeade concentrate

(Adult option: rum or vodka)

Preparation

Place watermelon cubes in a single layer in an extra-large zip-top plastic freezer bag and freeze eight hours. Remove and let stand at room temperature fifteen minutes.

Process half each of watermelon, water and limeade concentrate in a blender until smooth; pour mixture into a pitcher. Repeat procedure with remaining half of ingredients; stir into pitcher, and serve immediately.

Watermelon Rind Preserves

6 cups watermelon rind, diced

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 lemon, sliced thinly, then seeded

1 tsp. allspice (optional)

Preparation

Peel green skin off the watermelon, but leave a little of the red pulp on rind. Cut into one-inch slices, then slice into one-inch cubes. Place rind in a large pot and cover with the sugar until the fruit doesn’t show. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

Place pot on stove and add lemon slices and allspice, if desired. Boil whole mixture until rind is clear, about two hours.

Pack into clean, hot jars. Wipe rims and screw on lids. Process ten minutes in boiling water deep enough to cover lids by at least one inch. Serve the preserves on buttered toast, if desired.

NOTE: After cutting watermelon, save the rind in the refrigerator until you are ready to prepare the preserves.  PS

Jan Leitschuh is a local gardener, avid eater of fresh produce and co-founder of the Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative.