Cucurbita pepo.

A North American variety introduced in 1894 by the Peter Henderson & Co. seed house of New York, with a particularly touching near-disappearance story: popular at the start of the 20th century, Delicata had almost entirely vanished from commercial catalogues in the 1940s-50s, supplanted by longer-keeping, more transport-resistant varieties — traits that the modern food distribution industry valued more than flavour. It took until the 1990s and the work of Cornell University's breeding program for it to be brought back to commercial life, again selected for its exceptional gustatory qualities.

Small, elegant fruits shaped like an elongated sausage 18 to 22 cm long, 500 g to 1 kg each, with ivory-cream skin ornamented with dark green longitudinal stripes that take on an orange tint at full maturity. Major particularity and signature of the variety: the skin is thin and tender enough to be EATEN — no need to peel the squash, unlike practically all other winter squashes. Deep orange flesh, dense, particularly sweet and nutty — flavour intermediate between sweet potato and chestnut, hence the American nickname sweet potato squash.

Preparation is very simple: cut in two lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, brush with olive oil and salt, and roast 30 to 40 minutes at 200 °C — the result eats directly from the skin with a spoon (the skin turns silky and caramelized). Also excellent cut in caramelized half-rounds with maple syrup, brown butter and sage; roasted in quarters as garnish for savoury tarts and warm autumn salads; or stuffed and baked with Italian sausage, cheese and walnuts.

Grower's tip: Indoor start 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting, or direct-sow in early June once the soil is well warmed to 18 °C. Semi-vigorous plant with semi-running habit (1 to 1.5 m), to space 90 cm to 1.2 m. Like all Cucurbita pepo, vulnerable to the squash vine borer — same prevention advice as for Jack O' Lantern pumpkin already detailed. Harvest at full maturity when the stem turns brown and dry, and the green stripes start to turn orange (generally late September in Québec, before the first hard frost). Post-harvest curing of 7 to 10 days at room temperature to develop sugars and harden the skin.

Important limitation to know: Delicata, unlike Butternut and Buttercup, only keeps 1 to 3 months in the cellar — it's an autumn and early-winter squash, to eat first, before the other long-keeping varieties.

• Open-pollinated. Heirloom variety (1894), commercially reintroduced in the 1990s. Annual. Monoecious, bee-pollinated, so crosses with other Cucurbita pepo (zucchini, pumpkins, crookneck, pattypan) — isolate for seed saving.
• Vine length: 1 to 1.5 m.
• Maturity: 95 to 105 days after transplant.
• Exposure: full sun, warmth.
• Very rich, well-drained, warm soil. Space plants 90 cm to 1.2 m apart.
• Indoor start 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting, or direct-sow in early June. Cellar storage 1 to 3 months (short). Cure 7 to 10 days after harvest.