The Squash and Cucumber Family The squash or cucurbit family, the Cucurbitaceae, has made three broad contributions to human pleasure and nutrition These are the sweet, moist melons described in the next chapter, the sweet, starchy, nutritious “winter” squashes, which are harvested fully mature and hard and keep for months, and the not-so-sweet, moist cucumber and “summer” squashes, which are harvested while immature and tender, and keep for a few weeks (“Squash” comes from a Narragansett Indian word meaning “a green thing eaten raw.”) When cooked, winter squashes develop a consistency and flavor something like those of a sweet potato, while the summer squashes and immature Asian gourds develop a mild but distinctive aroma and a translucent, slick, almost gelatinous texture Fruits of Cucurbita maxima, the Hubbard and other winter squashes, can reach 300 lb/135 kg, and are the largest fruits of any plant Most cucurbits produce a particular form of berry called a pepo, with a protective rind and a mass of storage tissue containing many seeds All of them are native to warm climates, so they suffer from chill injury if stored at standard refrigerator temperatures In addition to the flesh of their fruits, cucurbits also offer edible vines, flowers, and seeds Winter Squashes Winter squashes were domesticated in the Americas beginning around 5000 BCE They are both nutritious — many are rich in beta-carotene and other carotenoids as well as starch — and versatile The flesh of most varieties is firm enough to sauté or stew in chunks (fibrous spaghetti squash is an exception), but once cooked it also can be pureed to a very fine consistency; and its moderate sweetness makes it suitable for both savory and sweet preparations, from soups or side dishes to pies and custards ... them are native to warm climates, so they suffer from chill injury if stored at standard refrigerator temperatures In addition to the flesh of their fruits, cucurbits also offer edible vines, flowers, and seeds Winter...largest fruits of any plant Most cucurbits produce a particular form of berry called a pepo, with a protective rind and a mass of storage tissue containing many seeds All of them are native to warm climates, so they... domesticated in the Americas beginning around 5000 BCE They are both nutritious — many are rich in beta-carotene and other carotenoids as well as starch — and versatile The flesh of most varieties