Baked Acorn Squash. Asha Pagdiwalla / wikipedia / 2014 / CC BY 2.0
The 7th of September is Acorn Squash Day.
It celebrates the buttery tasting squash with sweet flesh that looks like a big acorn.
Finally we have a food holiday that is timely, at least in the northern hemisphere, as this is the time of year when acorn squashes start to flood onto the market.
Acorn squashes are also known as “pepper squashes”, and there are many different sub-varieties now.
There are so many different ways to cook it.
In fact, to enjoy some, you usually have to cook it at home, as it is not often offered in restaurants, at least not by name.
Be careful when cutting one to clean out the insides, as many kitchen knife injuries occur when inexperienced people try to cut into the hard shells of such winter squashes.
Acorn squashes store well, so if you see some today at a good prize, don’t hesitate to grab a few.
#AcornSquashDay #NationalAcornSquashDay
See also: Acorn Squash
Activities for today
- Try baking a stuffed one;
- Just bake it simply with brown sugar if you are in a rush;
- If you have more time, look for a recipe that uses acorn squash in a way you have never done before;
- Save and toast the seeds for a snack.
History
The earliest print mention that CooksInfo is aware of for an Acorn Squash Day in September dates from 2014 in Pennsylvania:
“Labor Day has come and gone, but it doesn’t mean it’s time to retire hot dogs from the dining table. Sometimes my timing for these columns can be off; I prefer to line up my recipes with holidays, seasons or special days like National Acorn Squash Day (it’s Sunday, by the way). [Ed: Sunday, 7th September 2014] — Dunn, Tamara. Dress up your hot dogs with this broccoli slaw. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania: Citizen’s Voice. Saturday, 6 September 2014. Page 18, col. 1.
Sources
Acorn Squash Day. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Service. Accessed August 2021 at https://food.unl.edu/september-food-calendar#acorn
Isom, Cathy. Celebrating National Acorn Squash Day. South East Ag Net. 7 September 2018. Accessed August 2021 at http://southeastagnet.com/2018/09/07/celebrating-national-acorn-squash-day/
It’s National Acorn Squash Day! New York State Farming Blog. 7 September 2016. Accessed August 2021 at http://nyfarm.blogspot.com/2016/09/its-national-acorn-squash-day.html
Strickland, Ashley. Breakfast buffet: National acorn squash day. CNN Eatocracy. 7 September 2011. Accessed July 2020 at https://cnneatocracy.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/breakfast-buffet-national-acorn-squash-day/