beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 (Stop laughing, Doran, I am talking about a vegetable!) Every year my mother brings me surplus from her garden. There are usually several baseball-bat sized zucchini. However, these are different from the zucchini I know. Their skins cook up tough and the texture is stringy like a winter squash and not tender. What are these and what can I cook with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 (Stop laughing, Doran, I am talking about a vegetable!) Every year my mother brings me surplus from her garden. There are usually several baseball-bat sized zucchini. However, these are different from the zucchini I know. Their skins cook up tough and the texture is stringy like a winter squash and not tender. What are these and what can I cook with them? What do you take me for? Baseball-bat sized zucchini are no laughing matter! :scared: What color is this mystery zuke? Solid green? Striped? Pale green and a bit fuzzy? Any chance it is a gourd disguised as a squash? Any chance you could post a photo? If it is a squash that has simply been picked too late, it's often best to grate it and cook it into breads or fritters of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 It is solid green. Looks like a regular zucchini. She brings them every year. Maybe they have simply matured too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 It is solid green. Looks like a regular zucchini. She brings them every year. Maybe they have simply matured too long. How many inches are they? I've read that you should harvest them when they are about 6 inches or so, but I'm sure that Doran knows more than I. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 How many inches are they? I've read that you should harvest them when they are about 6 inches or so, but I'm sure that Doran knows more than I. ;) :smilielol5: You know it's impossible to discuss ANYTHING with a straight face anymore. They are about 18 to 24 inches long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 :smilielol5: You know it's impossible to discuss ANYTHING with a straight face anymore. They are about 18 to 24 inches long. Oh horrors...my mind didn't even think about it. :D Wow, I really cut mine early then. There's just no way of talking about this with a straight face. Oy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 You know, I was thinking this was a real zucchini thread. Personally I think zucchini should be cut at the 6-8 inch mark. Anything else is just bragging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 You know, I was thinking this was a real zucchini thread. Personally I think zucchini should be cut at the 6-8 inch mark. Anything else is just bragging. But this IS a real zucchini thread! The green kind! REALLY!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 You know, I was thinking this was a real zucchini thread. Personally I think zucchini should be cut at the 6-8 inch mark. Anything else is just bragging. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Oh horrors...my mind didn't even think about it. :D Wow, I really cut mine early then. There's just no way of talking about this with a straight face. Oy. But, particularly when you start off the discussion with the phrase "harvest when they are about 6". :blink: Sounds to me like overgrown zucchini. Although the "stringy" part leaves me a little stumped. Stop laughing. Now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Does it look like this http://www.humeseeds.com/zuker.htm Phlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Ok, talking about real zucchini here, and not the hypothetical kind, my gardening magazine last month said that zucchini should be picked when you can no longer indent it with your fingernail (as opposed to summer squash, which should be picked while you can still dent it with your nail). But I don't know how long is too long to wait...guess it should be picked as soon as possible after the skin toughens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 Does it look like this http://www.humeseeds.com/zuker.htmPhlox Same color wrong shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 Ok, talking about real zucchini here, and not the hypothetical kind, my gardening magazine last month said that zucchini should be picked when you can no longer indent it with your fingernail (as opposed to summer squash, which should be picked while you can still dent it with your nail). But I don't know how long is too long to wait...guess it should be picked as soon as possible after the skin toughens. Then maybe this is zucchini, and maybe what I am expecting is more like a green summer squash? What is the flesh like? Is it white and stringy or more translucent and buttery-tender? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clwcain Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 :smilielol5: You know it's impossible to discuss ANYTHING with a straight face anymore. They are about 18 to 24 inches long. I feel so inadequate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Hmmm,.,,,,,here's a bunch of different ones: http://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm Phlox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 ... my gardening magazine last month said that zucchini should be picked when you can no longer indent it with your fingernail (as opposed to summer squash, which should be picked while you can still dent it with your nail). I've never had zucchini like that. Any I've ever grown or bought has had a fairly soft skin along the lines of a summer squash. I'm thinking if it is the size of a baseball bat that it has gotten too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Ok, talking about real zucchini here, and not the hypothetical kind, my gardening magazine last month said that zucchini should be picked when you can no longer indent it with your fingernail (as opposed to summer squash, which should be picked while you can still dent it with your nail). What do you do if you don't have fingernails because you bite them?!? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 I've never had zucchini like that. Any I've ever grown or bought has had a fairly soft skin along the lines of a summer squash. I'm thinking if it is the size of a baseball bat that it has gotten too big. I had a similar experience with yellow crookneck squash which I grew last year. The flesh was stringy and the skin was hard like a shell and inedible. I was expecting both to be tender. I did pick these at 6 to 8 inches long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 I feel so inadequate. *Cindy throws a green tomato at Chris* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Then maybe this is zucchini, and maybe what I am expecting is more like a green summer squash? What is the flesh like? Is it white and stringy or more translucent and buttery-tender? Summer squash and zucchini have become interchangeable terms, but most farmers know them as two different crops. I'm not familiar with a recommendation that "our" zucchini ever be harvested when skins have toughened. I'd like to know more about that. The stringy part is still what leaves me scratching my head and thinking maybe this is some sort of gourd-thing. Does it look like any of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 Hmmm,.,,,,,here's a bunch of different ones: http://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm Phlox I see a lot of good ideas here, but none of them resemble my squash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I feel so inadequate. According to Parrothead, anything past 6-8" is just bragging. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 They look like the one on the far right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I had a similar experience with yellow crookneck squash which I grew last year. The flesh was stringy and the skin was hard like a shell and inedible. I was expecting both to be tender. I did pick these at 6 to 8 inches long. One could almost slice crookneck squash with a butter knife. It should be thinner than cucumber skin. Maybe too much or not enough water/rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I see a lot of good ideas here, but none of them resemble my squash. Honey, I think you're just going to have to post a picture. But remember, this is a family-friendly site, so try to keep it G-rated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 They look like the one on the far right. Looks like a zucchini to me. So does the one on the far left. I couldn't tell you what type of zucchini it is though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Then maybe this is zucchini, and maybe what I am expecting is more like a green summer squash? What is the flesh like? Is it white and stringy or more translucent and buttery-tender? I'm not an expert by any means, but I don't think there is any green summer squash--I think they're all yellow. I don't know about the color either...my experience with the two is that it seems that zucchini tends to be more tender, while summer squash seeds tend to be bigger. I had an overgrown summer squash this summer, and it was rock hard rather than stringy. I would think, though, that a stringy zucchini would be too old. Ok, I got my magazine out, and I think I misinterpreted something. It's an article called "Harvest Hints". It doesn't mention zucchini, it lists summer squash, then "winter squash", which is different from zucchini (duh, I knew that, sorry). So the time to harvest zucchini is probably the same for summer squash, "when you can easily dent the rind with your fingernail." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 Summer squash and zucchini have become interchangeable terms, but most farmers know them as two different crops. I'm not familiar with a recommendation that "our" zucchini ever be harvested when skins have toughened. I'd like to know more about that. The stringy part is still what leaves me scratching my head and thinking maybe this is some sort of gourd-thing. Does it look like any of these? Or it could be the one on the left. The skin is green and speckled like the round squash Phlox posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 Honey, I think you're just going to have to post a picture. But remember, this is a family-friendly site, so try to keep it G-rated. Fine, but I need to wait for dh to come home... So I can use his camera :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Cindy, regular zucchini will get really big if not picked in time. Sounds like what you have. They will never be "peak" because they have gone too far. If you do want to salvage them the best way is to cut them in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh in the center and try to leave the "meatier" flesh closer to the skin. You can then "stuff" the squash with rice, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, meat, mushrooms, or what-ever, and bake them. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clwcain Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Cindy, regular zucchini will get really big if not picked in time. Sounds like what you have. They will never be "peak" because they have gone too far. If you do want to salvage them the best way is to cut them in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh in the center and try to leave the "meatier" flesh closer to the skin. You can then "stuff" the squash with rice, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, meat, mushrooms, or what-ever, and bake them. Bill mmm...stuffed zucchini... Stop that, Doran and Beansprouts! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 Cindy, regular zucchini will get really big if not picked in time. Sounds like what you have. They will never be "peak" because they have gone too far. If you do want to salvage them the best way is to cut them in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh in the center and try to leave the "meatier" flesh closer to the skin. You can then "stuff" the squash with rice, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, meat, mushrooms, or what-ever, and bake them. Bill That is how I usually cook them, but it isn't quite the same as when the flesh is tender and buttery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 Ugh!! Nothing to see here, move along now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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