Topic: Barbara Butternut Squash

[Tora]

Has anybody grown it? What is the flavour and texture like?

Thanks :)

[Trevor_D]

Never heard of the "Barbara" bit, but butternuts are beautiful. One of our winter stand-bys, although they don't seem to keep as well as other squash. I've noticed that different varieties are being offered now, rather than just "Butternut" a few years back; often a bit smaller, or earlier, so presumably yours is one of those.

Ther'll be a real expert along in a minute. Jeannine??

[Jeannine]

Well I am along but not very expert. The little I do know of this variation of Butternut is that it is striped,grows to 11/2-3 pounds and its flavour is nuttier than  other Butternuts, I would therefore expect it's texture to be dense, given that ,it might well  have a better keeping quality than most of them as Butternuts are not among the best keepers.

I rarely grow Butternuts as I am usually disappointed with the flavour compared to many others and  I have not grown this particular one, although I did plant a new Butternut yesterday.

Sorry I can't help you further XX Jeannine

[Trevor_D]

That doesn't sound like a "non-expert" reply to me.

OK - what should we be growing? Allowing that most squashes give an ample meal for a family of 14 and there are just the two of us, something small like Sweet Dumpling or Baby Bear or a diminutive butternut is just what we need in the kitchen.

Any more suggestions for my winter researches, to find veg to grow next year?

[Jeannine]

Trevor,I think squash are rather like tomatoes it does depend on taste, but with squash the ooh after picking them can stay with you a long time as they keep so well.
 Ones I don't like as I find they are bland are most spaghetti's ,the butternuts,most marrows and most summer squash which includes almost all the courgettes,however I do like some of the patty pan summers and coban which is sort of in between the summers and winters.I also enjoy summer crooknecks.

Favourites for taste are most of the Japs like Red Kuri, Hokkaido.

I like the Aussie blues very much too like Queensland Blue and Jarrandale.

My absolute favourites are the Delicatas and the Buttercups...why  no signs of stringiness, dense dry firm sweet flesh and they keep  months.

For pumpkin pie,I would only grow sweet sugar, sugar pie,or Amish pie, the big ones like Dills Atlantic are fun to grow and carve but I couldn't eat them. Good pumpkin pie needs smooth pumpkin flesh with no watery consistency at all.

Some I grow just for decoration cos they make me feel good to look a them in the winter, and they come in all colours, shapes and sizes.

I love Jack be Little Pumpkins, tennis ball sized, microwave 4 minutes, single serving and delicious.

Too many to mention,because I like them all for different reasons and every new one is an adventure. I have just come in 5 minutes ago after planting and I have just sown a butternut,why..because it is one I have never grown before and it is supposed to be huge and that is a challenge. I rarely eat marrow but I have just sown a Giant one which again I have never grown before.

One day I will sow all the butternuts varieties I can find to do a decent taste test.

Some people collect stamps, for me it is squash,

Always ready to start another squashaholic going Trev if you fancy a couple of new ones let me know.

 XX Jeannine

PS Trevor send your addy in a PM and I will send you some small ones, Sugar Loaf is perhaps my very fave one among the lot and it is small.

[Tora]

Thanks.  :) I didn't know Barbara is nuttier is normal butternut. I like nutty one (like Japanese kabocha) so will give it a go! :D On Thompson & Morgan catalogue it says you can harvest it small, which is interesting. I wonder if it tastes the same when harvested young. ???

Trevor, I grew Baby Bear last year. Although it was a very pretty mini pumpkin, the flavour was very disappointing (the texture was horrible too)... so I'm not growing it this year. ::) I'm trying varieties I've never grown before this year (and huge thanks to Supersprout, Jeannine and Kate for the seeds! :-*). I did hear Jack be Little is a good one and I have sown a couple too (will try to hand-pollinate and save seeds this year if you want to give it a go next year).

I've only grown Baby Bear and Butternut F1 (from Fothergill's) so far so I can't compare them with others but I was very impressed with the flavour of the Butternut. It was oh so sweet and nothing like supermarket ones! I always wonder how supermarket vegetables manage to become so tasteless. :D