Well, hello there! We're back with more unique heirlooms! Today we dive into the Strawberry Crown Squash.
This squash belongs to the Cucurbita Maxima family of squash. It is a vining variety that loves to stretch out and take up space in the garden. This lovely squash was brought back from Brazil in the 1980s by Mary Schultz. It is a truly unique beauty. As it ripens in storage over the winter it turns this reddish strawberry color. It's quite spectacular. The seeds are a pure white, and also a thing of beauty. Should you decide you want to grow it yourself, seeds are available here at Seed Savers Exchange. As for size, it averages out at 5 to 7 pounds.
How does it taste? For sweetness, I would say it's mid-range. Texture is a bit interesting. It appears to be a bit on the stringy side at first, but after baking and whipping with a hand held mixer, it becomes nice and smooth. The depth of flavor is also about mid-range. Definitely more flavor than an acorn squash, but not as glorious as a butternut. That being said however, it makes a lovely pumpkin pie! Not a dry squash, and not a watery squash...this one is the epitome of a happy medium in everything except color. I give it five stars for looks alone! Will I grow this squash again? Most definitely! It yielded well, stored well, took the pressures of the squash vine borers and other pests well, and tastes delicious.... did I mention it's beautiful?! What's not to love? What heirloom squash have you been growing? What countries did they originate in? Feel free to comment below and tell me all about them!
