A question of squash

My folks came to visit yesterday. At this time of year that means a basket of goodies. I noted that the tomatoes, summer squash, courgette, corn, beans and chilli all hail from South America, looted by the Europeans and brought back to revolutionise our cooking. Centuries of history in one basket.

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Mother’s basket of goodies

The harvest gift is not just a kind gesture of course, it’s a way of off-loading stuff that they aren’t going to eat. But surely this must be the ultimate off-load: monumental crook-neck squash that had self-seeded and grown up the wall, and lost their crook to become almost as tall as me (almost).

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crookneck squash

If I were Indian or Malay or Mexican or some such, I am sure that squash would hold no fear. I am none of these things; a squash can sit unloved for months in my kitchen whilst I wonder what to do with it. Therefore the only thing for it is to get out the permanent marker and make… sea-monsters.

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Smile!

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Sea monsters at home on the veg rack

Endless amusement for months.

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