Scallop or pattypan, also called custard squash or cymling in parts of the South, is represented by some old (early 18th century) and some spanking new squashes, all of which have a characteristic scalloped or crimped pie-like circumference, whether the squash is flattened or bell-shaped. Cream, sunny yellow, pistachio, mottled ivy, and the colors between, they usually taste best when small (from a button mushroom to a bun). Solid and smooth-fleshed, they can be buttery and nutty or merely bland. Unless garden-fresh, they are less flavorful than the best zucchini types but can make up in charm what they lack in flavor if prettily presented.
