Crash course in winter squash

Do you know your squashes from your gourds from your pumpkins? Or which ones you can eat and which are better left for carving or decorating? They all belong to the family Cucurbitaceae and are all technically classified as fruits. Squash is soft-shelled and delicious (sweeter than summer squashes) while gourds are hard-shelled and meant for ornamental purposes. There are hundreds of different varieties of winter squash and some varieties are confusingly called pumpkins. With so much information to wade through, I’ve put together a crash course in winter squash that outlines some basics of how to choose, store (and cut!) this versatile winter stable. I’ve also included suggestions on how to prepare five of my favorite varieties.