“Squash” comes from the Narragansett Native American word askutasquash, which means “eaten raw or uncooked.”

Acorn squash is aromatic and sweet with a light nuttiness that is enhanced by roasting. Look for squash with a slight patch of orange which indicates maturity. Too much orange means it is overripe unless it is the golden variety.

One of the first published recipes for pumpkin pie (Pompkin Pudding) was in Amelia Simmons’ 1796 cookbook, American cookery. This the first cookbook to be written by an American and published in the United States.