Food...

Squash can be intimidating to work with, and for good reason. Apparently, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, there are more squash varieties sold now than have previously been in supermarkets. And, with such varied textures, colors, and shapes, it’s hard to know just which you can cut up and sauté, which should have their insides scooped out and pureed, and which should be put on the mantel for admiring only.

Here’s how to buy and use your winter squash:

When you’re in the produce aisle, look for a squash with a rind that’s unblemished without any soft spots. And, it should feel heavy for its size, the sugars in the squash add weight.

There are many types of squash, here are four that you’ll likely come across:

1. Butternut: shaped like a large pear with cream-colored skin, orange flesh, and a sweet flavor.
2. Acorn: have green skin with orange speckled patches and yellow flesh, has a sweet, nutty flavor.
3. Turban: green and speckled or striped, orange-yellow flesh that tastes like hazelnuts.
4. Hubbard: a large squash with dark green, grey-blue, or orange-red skin, not as sweet as other squash. (From Homestead Farm.)

After you choose your squash, store them in a cool, dry place for a few weeks so some of the starch can convert to sugar, and they can dry out a bit.

Instead of buying pre-hacked chunks of larger squash, like butternut, buy a big squash, cut your own pieces, and keep the rest chilled until you need more.

One way to cook your winter squash, cut it in half, roast it, and add a pat of butter before eating. Or, try a squash soup recipe from Homestead Farm, cook up a butternut squash with a recipe from All Recipes, or bake squash pie from Seeds of Knowledge.

Photo from What's Cooking America.