Squashing the rumors

Gourds. Aside from their use as holiday table decorations or canvasses for artistic carvers, many folks in Orange County know very little about this fruit.

That is why Tanya Petrovna, owner of Native Foods restaurant at the Camp in Costa Mesa, chose the fall of 2006 as the year to celebrate the joys of the largest fruit on earth.

“We’re trying to demystify the misconceptions here,” Petrovna said. “We have fun with what we eat. Forget the message, just go with the flavor.”

Partnering with the retail center, Petrovna hosted Squashfest 2006 on the Camp grounds on Sunday, serving fresh squash stew and offering tons of free samples, hopefully planting some healthy ideas in shoppers’ heads.

Petrovna, a Palm Springs resident, threw about 10 varieties of squash into the oven used for cooking up all of Native Food’s menu, and laid them out on a few tables along the sidewalks around the Camp.

Camp visitors who ventured near the Native Foods, organic/vegan restaurant, sampled several varieties of squash from the sweet and nutty to the deep and meaty.

Top on her list in her message for home cooking were the joys and ease of preparing several varieties of squash and pumpkins. She recommends taking any squash and throwing it in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

“When you can stick a fork in it, you’re done, it’s that easy,” Petrovna said.

Once the squash is removed from the oven, cut open and gutted of seeds, Petrovna recommends throwing on some salt and pepper, maybe maple syrup and soy butter, or, if enjoying the stringy delights of the Spaghetti squash, a little marinara.

Not everyone visiting the Camp that morning was completely foreign to squash.

Renee Massong, who drove down from Long Beach, said she visits Petrovna’s restaurant all the time, and was excited to find a new squash on which to chew.

“I think a lot of people are scared to buy things that look different,” Massong said. “I’ve always liked squash and it’s a good opportunity to taste new things.”

Even Massong, who was raised on all types of squash, found a few newbies to add to her collection.

Describing the Carnival squash as sweet and somewhere between a Sweet Dumpling and Spaghetti squash, Massong seemed surprised that she thought it tasted better than any squash she had sampled before.

Patrons not in the cooking mood could also sample Petrovna’s organic pumpkin pie or her “Three Sisters Stew.” By 1 p.m. it was a little warm for stew, but that didn’t stop most from buying a whole bowl of the dish. Made with pinto beans, corn, and small winter squash, this dish, although best served with tortillas or corn bread, made mouths water and brought several visitors back praising Petrovna’s cooking.