Gem squash

Gem squash (Cucurbita pepo var. pepo)^[1] is a variety of summer squash that was domesticated from two wild varieties; Cucurbita texana found in the southern and central United States and Cucurbita fraterna found in Mexico.^[2] The dark green spherical fruit, when fully ripe, is about the size of a softball (slightly larger than a tennis ball). The fruit needs to be boiled or baked in order to render it palatable. The young fruit is often harvested before it is ripe (about golf ball size) due to its having a more delicate flavour and texture.^[3]

It is commonly served as a vegetable in South Africa, often boiled or baked. The cooked gem squash is then generally cut in half, and the inside may be covered in butter or brown sugar to enhance flavor.

References

Cucurbita
List of gourds and squashes
Species	C. andreana C. argyrosperma C. californica C. cordata C. cylindrata C. digitata C. ecuadorensis C. ficifolia C. foetidissima C. fraterna C. galeottii C. gracilior C. kellyana C. lundelliana C. martinezii C. maxima C. moorei C. moschata C. okeechobeensis C. palmata C. palmeri C. pedatifolia C. pepo C. radicans C. scabridifolia C. sororia C. texana
Squashes	Summer squash Aehobak Crookneck squash Gem squash Pattypan squash Straightneck squash Tromboncino Zucchini Winter squash Acorn squash Big Max Butternut squash Calabaza Cushaw squash Delicata squash Kabocha Marrow Red kuri squash Spaghetti squash Turban squash Pumpkins Connecticut Field pumpkin Giant pumpkin 1068 Wallace Prizewinner list
Squash-based	Raw materials Buffalo gourd oil Pumpkin seed oil Squash blossoms Dishes Bundevara Hitlerszalonna Kabak tatlısı Mashed pumpkin Pepita Pumpkin pie Squash soup Soup joumou Stuffed squash Activities Pumpkin carving Pumpkin chucking Pumpkin queen