Squash is an old & revered vegetable in North America. It is part of the three sisters vegetable trio from aboriginal mythology. Native cultures believed that when corn, beans and squash were planted together they grew in symbiosis with each plant helping the other and nutritionally are nearly perfect when eaten together. The simplest preparation of squash is to cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and baste with maple syrup and butter, a little fresh thyme would not go amiss and if you like heat

I like to mix the maple syrup with some dried chili flakes. Roast the squash in the oven at 350 degrees until soft, approx. 45 minutes. A very quick & easy soup is to just take the cooked squash and remove it from the skin and place it in a pot in which you have lightly cooked one onion and several cloves of garlic. Add just enough water to cover and cook for 25 minutes, blend using a hand blender and season to taste.

Squash has a natural affinity for strong flavours and if you take the cooked squash and toss it with cooked pasta, bleu cheese and crumbled cooked bacon (optional) you have a fantastic quick and easy pasta. Squash is lovely and should be kept in mind as a fantastic local, seasonal vegetable, that can be enjoyed all winter.