Gem squash
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Vegetables | 84 comments
“We’re going to have a gem squash for supper tonight.”
I produced the dinky vegetable for Danny to see.
“How do you cook it?”
“Prick the skin in a few places and simmer for 20 minutes. Cut it in half and serve with lashings of butter and ground black pepper.”
“So it’s tasteless then?”
I knew that I would have a bit of a fight on my hands to get him to taste the squash. So I thought up a delicious supper menu that would allow the squash to be slipped surreptitiously under the blanket, so to speak.
I went up to the Rat Room and announced the menu to Danny.
“Lamb cutlets, flash fried in bacon fat with tarragon, cardamom, allspice and white wine. Individual ramekins of creamed potato with a parmesan topping, Lightly mashed flageolets with creme fraiche and Tabasco and scattered with crisp, streaky bacon. And squash.”
He heroically waved the squash through. Who wouldn’t on a Wednesday evening?
The asparagus steamer was handy for simmering the squash (I knew that it would be useful outside the asparagus season). I sliced it in two when the rest of the meal was ready and had a teeny taste before D rumbled downstairs. It was sweet and tasty. Delicious.
Danny’s fork hovered over the plate. Would he eat the best or worst bit first? He bravely scooped out some gem squash and tasted it.
“This is the first time in my life that I have enjoyed a squash. How much do they cost? I must look out for them in the remaindered bin at Waitrose.”
A good move as they have a long shelf life. However, the fresher they are the better. Gem squash are a delicacy.
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Hi Bron,
I have kept seeds saved from gems, I found that you need to make sure they have dried throughly before storing.
Select only the fully formed seeds. I put them on a piece of kitchen paper and left them in on a window sill till they were dry. I then stored them in an envelope making sure they stayed dry.
Hope you find this helpful.
I was looking for gem recipes and this one made me stop and read through. I have an allotment in central England, and a neighbour recently arrived from Zimbabwe….complete with gem seeds…so I got to plant some. I had three plants grow splendidly in a timber frame with black plastic on the ground to try and keep slugs away. Lots of squash so far, lots of flowers still there, don’t know yet about how the cooler weather will affect them. Ta for the site.
Hi there!
I was given some Gem Squash Seeds as a souvenir from South Africa and grew them in Manchester England. The first year only two of the 20 seeds germinated. I didn’t get a very good crop (2 Gems at the most) so I gave up. The seeds went out of their use by date and I found them this spring at the back of our shed. I planted them not hoping for much and every single one of them germinated and now we have loads of delicious Gem Squash!! May be due to the home made compost we put on our beds this year!! Does anyone know how to store the seeds as I would like to plant some next spring?
Hi I have managed to grow some gem squash in a large pot (I live in a flat)in the UK they all grew fantastic, managed to get about 8 gems on the plants sadly lost two gems, I was gutted, well now the gems aren’t quite fully grown and all the leaves have died, there are still loads of flowers on the plants….I grew them in a little portable green house to keep all the rain and wind off of them, but I kept the zipped side open, also built a trellis for them… this is the first time I have ever grown them and I would love to grow then again next year but I have no idea what I am doing and would really love to harvest a good crop of them,I know this is sad coming from Rhodesia and knowing how to grow them, but then never needed to then!
Would really appreciate any feedback
Regards
Rikki
Hello Ray
Thanks so much for following this up! Now people know where to find gem sqaush seeds now.
Hi Debra
I asked Kings if they would supply the UK & this is their reply:
“Hello Ray
We can send seed to the UK and the only restriction for sending seed is our minimum credit card order of NZD$15.00 excluding handling.
To send small parcels of seed to the UK is not expensive between $6.00 and $10.00 depending on the order.
Regards
Barbara
So off you go & order some seeds in time for next season!
Good luck
Ray
Hello Ray
Thanks for this contribution. Much appreciated.
Hi Debra
I’d love to here if they will post you the seeds.
Hi Ray, I sent Kings Seeds an email asking if I could purchase from them, although living in the UK. They dont seem to have a facility online. I also went ahead and bought from the UK Suppliers. Just so pleased to be able to get the seeds. The UK suppliers only have the mini squash though. Anthing is better than nothing at this stage!
Regards
Debra
I should have mentioned that Kings Seeds sell the seeds with the name “Squash Rondini” & supply 20 seeds /packet. Mine were bought in Feb this year and are good till 2011.
Better buy than UK suppliers, but I don’t know how much the postage is.
I love them but am really battling. Will try uk website you have suggested.
Thank you
Debra