Is the effort worth the reward? Peeling a member of the winter squash family.

Some things I have classified as too much trouble to eat: sunflower seeds, crab claws, shell-on shrimp, tiny-size chiclet gum, nerds, edamame, and walnuts (in addition to tasting what I think earwax would taste like). Usually winter squash.

Last night I made this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/health/nutrition/05recipehealth.html

I love tofu, red cabbage, AND squash, so to my delight, I came across a recipe that combined all three. It was delicious. (I doubled the amount of sauce, but that is only because I like extra sauce. I also drained the tofu on a piece of cloth with a plate sitting on top of it.. I think tofu tastes better if it is drier when cooked.)

I was surprised that I even let myself think about making it, because I hate peeling squash so much. I even hate watching other people peel squash. It takes longer than I ever think it will take, and invariably, too much of the precious flesh comes away with the rind. And then, after all that work, there is so little to show for it. I often find (well, found) myself standing in the produce aisle in Whole Foods trying to decide if I should spend $2 on a butternut squash or $5.50 on a package of peeled, pre-cut butternut squash. The package almost always won out. But now that I live in Winthrop, there is no peeled, pre-cut squash. There is, however, an abundance of squash (butternut and delicata) stored in the pantry from last year's harvest.

I chose a small delicata squash and asked Kenton to peel and cut it. And after eating this meal, I have decided that winter squash is worth the effort.