Honeynut Squash

Honeynut squash is a winter squash cultivar  bred from butternut and buttercup squash.  It has a similar shape and flavor to butternut squash  but averages about half the size and is significantly sweeter.  It has dark tan to orange skin and orange fleshy pulp.  When ripe, it turns from green to a deep orange  and becomes sweeter and richer.  It has two to three times more beta-carotene  than butternut squash.  Although technically a fruit, honeynut squash is used as a  vegetable that can be roasted, sautéed, puréed, added to soups,  stews, and braises, and is suitably sweet for desserts.   The squash was first marteted Around 2006  The squash has the butternut's traditional bell shape  but is smaller, darker-fleshed and skinned, and has a smooth,  thin, edible skin. The skin is dark tan to orange, also referred to as a "deep honey color".  The color of the skin as well as the sweetness of the flesh is what gives the variety its name.  One unique feature bred into the squash is its color change as it ripens;  unlike most squash, the honeynut is a deep green for most of its eight-week ripening process  and turns honey-colored on the vine in the last few weeks. The orange fleshy pulp is firm and moist with a smooth, even texture.  There is a small seed cavity in the bulbous end,  containing stringy pulp and flat, cream-colored seeds.  The flavor is more prominent and sweeter than butternut squash,  and similarly nutty. The squash average 2.5 to 4 inches and 4 to 5 inches in length,  as opposed to most butternuts at 10 to 11 inches Partially ripe squash on the vine The squash grow on a restricted vine that is self-fertile, taking about 105 to 110 days from seed to maturity.  It is higher-yielding than traditional varieties. They are planted in May and harvested from late September  through early October.  They store well for about a month in a cool, dry place,  and should be eaten as soon as they begin to wrinkle,  as this indicates they are drying out.  Due to their thin skin, this variety does not store  as well as other winter squash like butternut,  which can be stored successfully for two to three months. Honeynut squash has a variable shelf life once peeled or prepared;  it can be refrigerated for up to one week, or frozen for up to three months.