Chayote

Chayote, like many members of the rambling Cucurbitaceae (gourd family) is known more for its usefulness than its distinctiveness. This versatile, mild-mannered player fits roles from soup through dessert. Its pale flesh is crisp and fine-textured, with a taste and consistency that meld cucumber, zucchini, and a hint of kohlrabi. Roughly the shape and size of a pear, with uneven furrows running its length, chayote may be pale apple-green (the most common form found in the United States), cream, or ivy. It usually has fairly smooth skin but may display a hedgehog array of prickles (not sharp). Those available here generally weigh about ¾ pound.