Squash, Summer

Appears in
Professional Cooking
Professional Cooking

By Wayne Gisslen

Published 2014

  • About
  • Identification: Several types of tender-skinned members of the gourd family are called summer squash. All have tender seeds in a firmly filled seed cavity, unlike the hard seeds encased in a fibrous mesh in the hollow interior of winter squash.
  • Related varieties: Green-skinned zucchini is well known and the most popular. Yellow straight and crookneck squashes are similar in flavor and use. Pattypan squash has a squat, round shape, slightly resembling the popular idea of a flying saucer. They can be yellow, dark green, or pale green. Many other, less common types are available.
  • Evaluation: Look for firm, heavy, and crisp squash, with tender skin, no blemishes.
  • Preparation: Wash or scrub well. Trim ends.
  • Percentage Yield: 90%