One of the most inviting and delicious surprises of the summer hides just underneath an umbrella of huge green leaves. Tender, pale yellow summer squash – the sunshine of the garden – is one of summer’s first vegetables.

While the corn is still reaching for the sky, tomatoes are a long way from turning red and pumpkins are a mere promise, backyard gardeners are already reaping the harvest of a fruitful squash plant.

As versatile as it is attractive, summer squash is an ancient food, dating back to 5,000 B.C. but one that enhances and diversifies the modern menu. Even the blossoms, so favored as a design in American Indian jewelry, are delicious when baked, stuffed or deep-fried.

Summer squash have a very mild, nutty taste, sometimes resembling fresh corn. Summer crooknecks are yellow and usually have a smooth skin. Some have a pebbled texture and some have no crook at all. They are easy to grow, a cinch to cook and delicious on the plate. Whether eaten raw, grilled, steamed, sauteed or stir-fried, they are a convenient, colorful way to add vitamins A and C, and potassium and calcium to your diet.

“Summer squash are very popular with Maine’s gardeners,” says David Handley, director of Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, the University of Maine’s agricultural research station. “I highly recommend it, especially when teaching children the benefits of gardening. It is as close to immediate gratification as you can get. You plant some really big seeds, very quickly get some really big plants and very early in the season, you are harvesting the fruit.”

Handley said that because of the unique nature of the squash plant, children can easily learn about the secret world of pollination. “The male and female flowers can be clearly distinguished. Bees love the large, yellow flowers and children get to see the bees pollinate the plants.”

Handley said that with just a few seeds, home gardeners “get all the squash they will ever eat and often become the dread of the neighborhood, stashing squash on their neighbors’ porches in the night.”

Vivianne Holmes of the UMaine Cooperative Extension agrees. “You know you planted too much squash when the neighbors don’t answer the door,” she joked.

With a limited area for my own garden, I barter sweet summer squash for green beans from one neighbor and leaf lettuce from another.

While zucchini still reigns in popularity, Handley said the summer squash is becoming a staple in Maine gardens. “Summer squash enthusiasts say it has a better flavor and when combined with spices, oils and other flavorings, the natural taste of the squash is developed,” Handley said.

Holmes estimated that 75 percent of all home gardeners put in a squash plant or two.

The history

Called “askutasquash” by American Indians, which means “eaten raw,” almost all squash belong to either the Cucurbita maxima or Curcubita moschata species. The small fast-growing kind, summer squash, is eaten while the rind is still soft and belongs to the family, Curcubita pepo.

Native to Mexico and Central America, squash was a staple in the diet along with maize and beans. The seeds and flowers of the plant were considered important parts. The seeds were roasted and the flowers were eaten raw or fried.

Squash had spread all over North America before Columbus ever set foot in the West Indies. American Indian tribes had a fine cultivation technique for the plant as evidenced in the story of Squanto and the Pilgrims. Squanto taught the first white settlers at Jamestown how to cultivate maize and squash – crops never before seen by the Pilgrims – and thus saved them from certain starvation.

Cultivation and harvest

Summer squash’s prime harvest season in Maine is May to August. It has a thin, soft skin and soft edible seeds, whereas winter squash has a hard skin. Squash fruit grows quickly and is harvested within 2 to 7 days of flowering. Over-ripe squash past its prime can be bitter, but that didn’t stop a New York gardener from growing the world’s longest zucchini, a monstrous 691/2 inches!

Handley said that he often judges squash at country fairs and his pet peeve is the ones that are allowed to grow too large. “People bring in these squash as big as baseball bats. For optimum flavor, summer squash should be picked at 6 to 8 inches in length and many people like them harvested even smaller,” he said.

There are two groups of summer squash, said Handley, the old-fashioned crookneck and the more modern straight neck. Pine Tree Garden Seeds of New Gloucester lists 11 different varieties of plants. Two varieties that are quite popular and do well in Maine are “Horn of Plenty” and “Multi-Pick.”

Squash grows best on fertile, well-drained soil supplied with organic matter. Holmes suggested a soil PH of between 6.5 and 7. Squash are usually direct-seeded when all danger of frost has passed, but healthy, young plants can also be purchased at nurseries and garden centers.

Holmes said squash plants “take lots of space,” and therefore many gardeners are planting them in tomato cages. “They can be grown in cages, in hills, in rows, on plastic; it really depends on how much space you have. They can even be grown in large containers if they are watered religiously,” she said.

Summer squash roots to a depth of 3-4 feet and irrigation is necessary during most Maine summers. The squash does best when it receives between 4 and 7 inches of rain (or water) a month.

Summer squash can be harvested anytime fruits reach the desired size but before they form hard seeds or rinds. More information on growing squash can be obtained from your local UMaine Cooperative Extension office.

When harvesting squash, remember the skin is quite tender and easily bruised. Normally squash should not be stored longer than two to four days.

Handley recommends picking small fruits. “Don’t make it a size competition between you and your neighbor if you are growing squash. The flavor will be lost and the fruit will be bitter,” he said.

Squash usually grows at least 15 leaves before setting flowers. Often the first flowers are male, and will not produce fruit. You can tell whether a flower is male or female by the presence of a small swelling at the base of the flower. The swelling will turn into a full fruit. If there is no swelling and only a prickly stem is present, this is a male flower.

Pick the male flowers for eating (they’re great in salads) or leave them intact. Removal of male flowers doesn’t make much difference to the pollination of the female flowers.

Water your squash plants deeply, and let the top of the soil dry out a bit between waterings. This helps to encourage strong rooting and keeps the plants from getting too wet. Avoid overhead watering. Water around the base of the plant only to avoid mildew, which can flourish on the large, flat leaves if water droplets sit on them for too long.

When harvesting the squash, don’t forget some blossoms. The following recipe for Stuffed Fried Squash Blossoms is a welcome summer treat and is an incredible appetizer. The blossoms and batter can be prepared ahead of time and cooked just before serving.

Stuffed Fried Squash Blossoms

Batter

1 cup unbleached flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper (cayenne if you like)

1 cup cold milk, beer or water

Stuffing

1/4 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese that has been drained)

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (I like more)

1/4 teaspoon each salt and coarse-ground pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or parsley

16 large squash blossoms, washed and held in ice water until ready to cook

oil for frying

One of the following ingredients:

2 tablespoons mushrooms, finely chopped

1/2 cup cooked and crumbled Italian sausage

1/2 cup cooked and crumbled hamburger

1/2 cup cooked, diced chicken

Prepare the batter first by sifting dry ingredients together, then beating in the liquid until smooth. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (This can also be stored for up to two days.)

Combine the cheese, garlic, spices, mushrooms and basil. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the filling into each blossom, being generous but avoiding overfilling. Twist the top of each blossom together to close. If I have become too generous with the filling, I tie the tops closed with a bit of kitchen string. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to a half-hour.

Heat 1/2inch of olive or other vegetable oil in a large skillet. Dip each blossom into the batter then carefully place in the oil.

Cook for 3-5 minutes each, until the batter is golden on all sides. Do not crowd the skillet and replenish the oil, if needed. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and serve immediately.

Curried Summer Squash Soup

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

11/2 to 2 teaspoons garam masala (or 1/2 teaspoon each of powdered cardamom, allspice, coriander and cumin)

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

4 cups thinly sliced crookneck or other summer squash

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup toasted, chopped pistachios, almonds or walnuts

Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute in the butter until golden. Add the spices, stirring well, then add the broth and the squash. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Allow the soup to slightly cool. Puree one-third of the soup until smooth.

Serve with big spoonfuls of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Serves about 6.

Squash Relish

Chop or grind:

10 cups yellow summer squash combined with zucchini (about five or six of each)

1 red onion

1 each, red, yellow and green bell peppers

Add:

2 cups apple cider vinegar

21/2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons mustard seed

2 teaspoons celery seed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon pickling salt

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened, continuously stirring. Immediately fill canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar tops and jars clean. Put on caps and process pints or half pints in a hot-water canner for 15 minutes.

Makes 5 to 6 pints or 10 to 12 half pints.

Vegetable Slaw

Julienne the vegetables:

1 cup carrots

1 cup summer squash, harvested early, while still firm and small

1/2 cup Vidalia onion

1/2 cup radish

In a bowl, whisk together:

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon olive or sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon grated shallots

1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Toss with the vegetables, salt to taste, and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Baked Summer Squash with Cheese

4 cups yellow crookneck squash, sliced

1 cup bread crumbs, seasoned or plain

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (fat-free is fine – I often use more than one cup)

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

Cook squash with 1/4-cup water until tender. Spray 9-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Using the squash, onion and cheese, alternate layers, ending with cheese. Mix together, milk, butter and seasonings. Pour over casserole. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Squash Muffins

4 to 6 cooked yellow summer squash

2 eggs

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons baking powder

Optional: 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Mash the cooked squash (can be either hot or cooled). Use two cups of the mashed squash and combine with the melted butter and eggs. Add dry ingredients and seeds, slowly folding together. Spoon into muffin cups or greased muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.