I planted it for the first time thisyer because it's a C. moschata species with solid tems that are said to be less attractive/resistant to SVB's.
It is a fast growing vigorous vine (I think I have three plants and they are taking over my garden bed that was originally designated "Sunny Meadow") and a female flower will already have a 4-5" fruit behind it. It can be eaten at this stage with stuffed blossoms, or at almost any stage after that as summer squash, all the way to fully mature 24"+ hard skinned sweet orange flesh winter squash that keeps well just like butternut squash.
Well, I haven't gotten to that point yet, but I picked an overgrown fruit approximately 20" long about a week ago. The skin had started to fade in color when I picked it, and while on the counter, started to look jaundiced. I ate about 4" section of the long neck twice (skin still tender enough to eat) putting the fruit in the fridge after breaking off the first 4" several days ago.
Today, I finally got around to cooking the remaining 4" neck and the 8" long bulbous end with diameter of a grapefruit. As I suspected, the seeds were almost mature. But taste test showed that the hull wasn't completely hardened yet, so I baked the halved squash with the seeds in (1/2" water, several pats of butter, salt)
The skin was hard so I peeled it off -- very thin and came right off. Then I cut it up into chunks (similar texture to Spaghetti squash except the flesh didnt shred into strands) and added the drained pieces to sautéed ground beef, onions, and a good handful of immature garlic seed pods, added canned tomato sauce (organic but store-bought, I'm afraid) and a tablespoon of peanut butter emulcified with the squash cooking liquid. Then I put leftover cooked brown rice in some of the cooking water in the casserole dish used to bake the squash, layered the meat/squash mixture over it, dimpled the top and added shredded aged gruyer, topped with more tomato sauce, arranged roasted peeled, chopped green Corno di Toro peppers around the edge, topped with a couple of slices of Muenster cheese -- baked at 350 for 40 min, then broiled at 400 for 5 to brown the cheese. Mmmmmm, mmm!
The immature but filled out seeds are like soft hulled pumpkin seeds and added extra nuttiness and protein and fiber. (obviously way lot of protein -- yeah and fat -- already in there and vegetarians could very well enjoy this without the beef and still have a complete meal)
Sounds wonderful.
