Winter Squash Season at the Farmer’s Markets

Eisley, age 8 and Aria age 3. Find fall and winter squash at your local famers market or your favorite produce department like S&S in Chico, Orchard Nutrition In Redding and Berryvale in Mt. Shasta. Photo by Amber Thompson Photography.

With the weather changing, leaves falling and holidays approaching it’s one of my favorite times in the market — Squash Season. In Chico we are fortunate to have many farmers that harvest a large variety of winter squash. The vibrant colors, shapes, sizes and textures include those of the delicata, sibly, butternut, acorn, sugar pumpkin, turban, spaghetti, Hubbard, kabocha, red curry, buttercup and so many more.

All winter squash varieties have a great starchy texture which makes them great for baking, stuffing, mashes, hash and the perfect side dish to any meal. If you ever need ideas, ask your local farmer on how they prefer the squash to be cooked. You’ll be amazed at their techniques and tricks. Also research whether their shell is edible. Delicata and acorn squash are some of the few squash varieties with an edible outer layer, which makes them easy to handle and cuts prep time in half.

Selecting the perfect squash

When selecting fall and winter squash, choose firm squash with no visible blemishes or soft spots. A ripe squash will have a tan, dry stem and matte exterior. Store winter squash in a dry, cool spot (but not the refrigerator) and use within a month or so.

If its taste isn’t enough to win you over, winter squash also provides numerous health benefits, including high levels of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which converts to Vitamin A. It’s a good source of Vitamin C as well as a healthy source of fiber. It is full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds and can help regulate and/or control blood sugar.

You can cook squash in many ways. Some of my favorites are roasting or boiling. For roasting, make sure you coat the squash with olive or other cooking oil. This prevents it from drying out and allows the natural sugars to come through.

Photo: Lindsey King Photography

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Feeds 4-6

• 2 small to medium spaghetti squash
• 1 lb. bacon thinly sliced into strips 1 inch long and 1/4 thick
• 6 cloves peeled garlic
• 2 cups parmesan cheese
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 egg yolks
• Salt & Pepper
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice spaghetti squash into three rings per squash. Remove seeds. Rub with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, flip and roast for an additional 10 minutes or until squash is soft to pull away with a fork. Once cooled, fork out all spaghetti squash and set aside.
In a large sauté pan on medium heat, cook bacon. Once completely crispy, drain fat from pan. Add last 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and garlic cloves to the bacon in the pan. Cook until garlic gets light brown color and add heavy cream to the pan. Once cream begins to bubble, add 1 ½ cups of parmesan cheese and spaghetti squash. With tongs, mix squash with the sauce. Once mixed thoroughly, remove pan from heat and add yolks. Quickly mix with tongs to prevent eggs from scrambling. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

When serving, top with remaining parmesan cheese, fresh cracked pepper and parsley