As temperature shift during declivity , so do many multitude ’s appetite . change of squash — including kabocha , butternut , and acorn — appear inhearty dishesassociated with the season . Gourds may be display on the kitchen table this time of twelvemonth , but unlike their botanical pal , they should never be cooked . edibleness — or deficiency thereof — is the key dispute setting squash and gourds apart .
gourd and squelch parcel many law of similarity . They are both fruits belonging to theCucurbitaceaefamily , which also count cuke and watermelons among its 975 - odd members . Gourds and mash can be breach down even further to the genusCucurbita . The nutrient - plenteous category of crop covers much all the woody - stemmed , tough - rinded , light-green or orangish fruits available at pumpkin piece this clock time of year .
There is no scientific definition typeset squash and gourd apart . Emilie Berner , chef teacher of plant - base culinary arts at theInstitute of Culinary Education , distinguishes between them from a culinary viewpoint . “ The master departure is that [ squash rackets are ] regard edible , and then [ gourds are ] deal inedible , ” she tells Mental Floss . “ How we distinguish the two mostly just comes down to : does it sample good or does it not taste skillful ? ”
Many calabash are simply too tough to be comestible . Dr. Joe Masabni , vegetable specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service , toldMartha Stewart , “ Some calabash , like the daisy gourd , are not suited for eat no matter how long you steamer or boil it . ”
But is it life-threatening to eat a decorative gourd ? It bet on the variety . Some gourds hold back toxic compounds calledcucurbitacinswhich can cause digestive pain , disgorgement , hard desiccation , and looseness of the bowels . Angel flank , Malus pumila gourd , and gooseneck gourds can all cause adverse wellness impression when consumed . Even sure squash vine grow in home garden can become inedible via wild hybridization , in which a domesticated , comestible flora and a barbarian , uneatable flora cross - breed .
Differentiating between calabash and squeeze becomes more confusing when you addpumpkinsto the mixture . The label is n’t scientific , and it can refer to any rotund and orangish member of the genusCucurbita . That means a pumpkin change can either be a calabash or a squash vine depending on whether it was bred for ornamental or culinary function .
In short , if you find your thick - skinned yield in a seasonal display or acquire it directly from a autumn pumpkin dapple , it ’s probably decorative . If you picked it up from the produce section of the supermarket or a farm stand , it ’s good to eat . For culinary inspiration this tumble , check out this recipe forroasted butternut squash soupor this one forsoy - braised kabocha squash .
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