OBJECTIVE

Students will be able to describe the appearance of winter squash

Students will be able to describe the flavor of winter squash

Students will taste four kinds of winter squash

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What does it mean to have many varieties of the same crop?

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Four cooked varieties of squash (ex. Butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and kabocha)
• Four cutting boards
• Grid to score taste test
• Descriptions of each squash
• Four Seed Catalog
• Winter Squash Flavor Wheel available to purchase on Etsy from Culinary Breeding Net (optional)
• Plates
• Forks
• Salt and Maple Syrup(optional)

PROCEDURE

Introduction:

Roast the squashes whole before class, bring in cold or at room temperature and set up a table for tasting, or at 4 desk stations. Set up a description each variety at the corresponding station

• Who are the Native Americans?
  • Can you imagine a time with no grocery stores? How would you survive?
  • Native Americans would survive on native or ​indigenous​ plants that they would gather or grow themselves. What does the word “native” or “indigenous” mean?
• The Native Americans planted and grew squash 8,000 years ago. How would they cook it? Over hot coals, boil it in clay pots
• Is there just one type of squash? Show them a seed catalog’s entire squash section. Show them the roasted whole squashes just as the Native Americans might have done. What is inside?
  What could they do with the seeds? The flesh?
• Today we’ll do a taste test of these different squash ​varieties​. We’ll make notes of the outside color, the inside color, and what it tastes like. Then you can circle if you’d try it again (yes, no, maybe).

Activity:

Bring the group to the stations set up with 4 cutting boards, 1 for each squash

Cut each squash together so students can note the outer and inner colors on their taste test chart. For example: “This is a Hubbard squash, what color is the outside? Now open, what color is the inside?” Scoop seeds into a large bowl. Continue to the next squash.

Once all squashes are open and ready for tasting, start cutting up cubes of the squashes and separate the class into four groups, you’ll set a timer and have them go clockwise to taste each squash with a fork and plate. Encourage students to have reasonable reactions when tasting and to start with a small bite. Have students make a list of descriptive flavors they might use to describe the squash or introduce the squash flavor wheel. Have one student in each group read that variety’s description from a seed catalog at some point during the tasting time.

Once students have tried all the squashes, make sure they finish their tasting notes and circle their favorite squash.

Wrap up/Assessment​:

As a class compare tasting notes taken on the various squash. What was the classes favorite?

FOLLOW UP & EXTENSIONS

Make a recipe with the class’s favorite squash varieity