Candystick Dessert Delicata

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Candystick Dessert Delicata

Crop: Squash (Cucurbita pepo)

Breeder: Carol Deppe

OSSI Pledge Date: January 2015

Release Date: Before 2015

Bred for Organic Systems: Yes

Commercial Availability: Yes

Description

Candystick is a vigorous productive delicata with intensely sweet flesh and a rich complex flavor reminiscent of Medjool dates. Flesh is a bit thicker and fruits are somewhat bigger than all other delicata lines. So there is about 2X to 3X more food per squash than with all other delicata lines. Fruits up to 3 lbs. Absolutely no bitter contamination as is a problem in many delicata lines. Tan and green striped fruits range from loaf to longer shapes, often on the same plant. I think this is the most vigorous and most productive delicata in existence as well as having the best flavor. Bred by Carol Deppe and Nate France. Bred for organics. Widely adapted. Already known to thrive in the maritime NW, CA, Upper Midwest, NE, SE, Canada, Ireland, Wales, and France. Tolerates cold nights. Tolerates wet cold springs. Candystick matures a little later than cream and green- striped delicatas such as Delicata—JS or Zeppelin. Wait until fruits develop tan color in the field before harvesting. (If fruits still look like cream and green- striped delicatas they ARE NOT RIPE YET. Cure indoors at room temperature for two weeks. (Any delicata of any variety picked unripe or eaten without curing is starchy instead of sweet and has no delicata flavor.) Like other delicata varieties Candysticks are prime quality through December only. Candystick is so sweet and dry it requires cooking methods different from other squash to prevent drying out or scorching. I suggest: 1) removing seeds from cut halves but leaving seed cavities uncleaned otherwise until after cooking, and 2) placing uncleaned halves cut side down on a rack on a baking sheet instead of directly on a baking sheet and 3) dropping temperature during last part of baking to 325 degrees F. If you use a covered roasting pan with rack with the vents open you can stack the face-down halves and cook more at once plus get a very smooth custard-like texture. I stack halves in layers with no squash touching sides of pan, place pan as high in oven as possible, and start at 400 F and finish at 325 F. Eat as is without any sweetener. At dinner, I serve Candystick as the dessert. Cooked halves are great hot or cold. A cold half with a chunk of cheese makes a great breakfast or lunch. Source: Carol Deppe
Source: https://osseeds.org/ossi-breeders/carol-deppe/

Availability from OSSI Seed Company Partners