General Information
Spaghetti squash is small to medium in size, averaging thirty centimeters in length, fifteen centimeters in diameter, and 4-8 pounds. It has an oblong and cylindrical shape, similar to a melon, and is connected to a small, rough, light brown stem. The rind is firm, smooth, and depending on the variety, transforms from green to a vibrant canary yellow or pale-yellow when mature. The flesh is thick, dense, moist, and pale-yellow housing a large cavity filled with stringy pulp and flat, cream-colored seeds. Spaghetti squash is best known for its unique flesh that separates into long, translucent strings that resemble angel hair pasta. When cooked, the texture of the squash is tender with a slight crunch and offers a very mild flavor.
History
Squash is native to Central America and was introduced to the rest of the world via explorers and trade routes by land and sea. Spaghetti squash was first recorded in Manchuria, China in 1850, and while the exact origins of how the squash arrived in China is unknown, it was a well-known food source for villages and was first introduced to Japan in 1921 by the Aichi Prefectural Agricultural Research Station. In 1934, the Sakata Seed Company in Japan developed an improved variety and was the first to market the Spaghetti squash under the name Somen Nankin commercially. W. Atlee Burpee and Co. then brought the squash to North America in 1936 and sold seeds in their catalog under the name Vegetable spaghetti. The squash was not immediately popular, and it took several years to gain in notoriety, especially during World War II when it was used as a substitute for pasta at a time when processed foods were harder to obtain. Today Spaghetti squash is widely available at farmers markets, grocers, and through online seed catalogs in North America, Central America, South Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
