Arch-nemesis

I completely understand that most people would not consider a winter squash their arch-nemesis, but I am not most people. Luckily, I only come up against this foe once a year and generally on my terms since I am the mobile one with a credit card. That doesn't mean I have the upper hand though. Although the squash gets destroyed, I end up angry and hungry. If we are keeping score, I think that might be a draw.

I have led a relatively squash-free existence. I thank/blame my mother for this. I didn't ever have to eat it, but I also didn't learn how to cook it. Not a problem until I read this absolutely fantastic, although a little preachy, book by Barbara Kingsolver titled Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I highly recommend it. She discusses the benefits of eating locally produced food and, consequently, eating foods in season. One year, this book inspired me to set aside a portion of our weekly food budget to buy food at the farmer's market (we found out later much of the vegetables there were grown in the Carolinas and driven up here - so much for local). This last year, it inspired me to try container gardening again and with much greater success - I love our spaghetti sauce made from our own tomatoes.

But, for some unknown reason, I always read this book in the Fall and that brings us to winter squash. I read her arguments and personal anecdotes about winter squash. I am converted. Then I drive happily to the store to buy one. I find a decent sounding recipe and the battle begins. With one recent exception, these recipes all end very, very poorly. Mostly inedible. Universally not to my personal taste. And then I convince myself that the fault lies entirely with me - why can I NOT figure out how to cook and like these obviously popular and healthy vegetables? The evening ends in shambles, I get very cranky and Jason curses the day I found this book. I dump the whole mess in the trash and vow never to make winter squash again.

Until next year.

When I read the book again.