Smitten with Squash

The Northern Plate

by Amanda Paa

The expansive squash family includes a host of versatile gourds just waiting for a creative cook's touch. Summer varieties fill gardens and overflow market tables; hardy late-season types nourish us through the winter. The burning what to do with all this squash?

Smitten with Squash celebrates this underappreciated vegetable, whose long-lasting season ranges from the June-August staples of zucchini and summer squash through autumn's piles of butternut, carnival, and red kuri, just to name a few. Knowledgeable and imaginative guide Amanda Paa describes the very American roots of squash, introduces readers to the vast assortment available at midwestern farmers markets, and, best of all, offers seventy-five inventive ways to enjoy squash for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

Curried Butternut Squash Hummus; Roasted Tomato, Zucchini, and Blue Cheese Galette; Moroccan Lamb and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash; and Sweet Delicata Pie with Pecan Praline are just a few of the flavorful combinations that will inspire cooks to move beyond classic preparations of squash. Looking to explore the tasty possibilities of these often-overlooked gourds? This book is the only one you need.

Genres: Cookbooks

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2014

Reviews

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE the breadth of recipes in this book, that it spans all types and seasons of squash. The recipes I've tried have all been fabulous (the squash banana muffins are especially good). And Amanda is as warm and conversational as she is in person.

[Crista Lash · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING & delicious recipes!!

[Debra Lowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's face it. If you're a gardener who plants squash, you not only have squash, you have LOTS of squash. Whether it comes on one prolific plant or in various varieties from a multitude of strategically placed vines in your beds, its squash all the same. Now, what do you do with it all? It's a shame to waste it, and, if stored correctly, squash will last a LONG time through the winter.

Enter Paa. From hors d'oeurves to main dishes, from breakfast to muffins, Paa has a whole range of ideas to try. I have to say that I had not had ANY of the recipes in the book, none. She also includes various ways to cut and serve squash varieties and, interestingly, at the end of each recipe not only instructs us how to serve it, but also includes how long each dish might last in the refrigerator as leftovers.

A nice compliment to the cooking collection!

Advance Ebook generously provided by Netgalley and the publisher.

[Janet Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific single ingredient book, with way more ideas than one might expect. I've only cooked 4 of the recipes so far, an appetizer, a veggie taco--that was served at a recent party and drew a number of carnivores away from the fajitas--a red curry, and a soup. All of them were absolutely delicious, and I plan to try a few more before my copy expires. I did receive this as a temporary review copy, but will be ordering one for my own kitchen shelf.

[Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my review on my book blog, Reading Rainstorm!