Have you met a Yugoslavian Finger Squash ?

While in Denver I saw this unusual vegetable - Yugoslavian Finger Squash. My family there have joined a club which specialises in buying organic, locally produced vegetables. Every Thursday they take their basket down the street to the distribution house not knowing what exactly they will get that week. At the time of my visit, beetroot was in plentiful supply but the vegetable of interest to me was this one . . .

Yugoslavian Finger Squash

 All my family knew about it was the name so google, my friend, provided just a little more information.

Apparently it is actually Cucurbita pepo and the seed may have originated in Chile. The grow time is between 90 and 100 days but I learned that growers should be careful to pick early as, if mature, big and over ripe, it will have a bitter taste. It was recommended by one grower that you take your tape measure out at least 5 days before estimated maturity and measure it. [ Mark your calendar with this date when you sow the seeds!] It shouldn't be longer than 6 inches [13cm] or the diameter more than 2 inches [5 cm]. It was not made clear if you measured the fingers but if that was the case, then our squash would be the right measurement. 

Our squash had a problem though! It should have had ten rounded fingers, pointed at the ends. Ours had an extra stubbie and the others were of uneven shape. Perhaps that's why it ended up in the community shop box instead of in the supermarket.

Yugoslavian Finger Squash

It seems that this unusual but interesting vegetable is more of a fun thing than a serious eater. It is said to have a bland, dull taste, even when cooked with honey and cinnamon. I can't say - we didn't try it as it was so much fun to have it sitting on the table reminding us that different is interesting.

I wonder if they would grow in Australia? I will google for seeds give it a go!