Now that we’re well into November, every publication I see on the newsstand or receive in the mail seems to have a focus on food.

I dropped in at our local grocery store’s holiday open house Saturday and was treated to samples of various foods from ciders and pumpkin flavored milk through chili, smoked sausage and cheese to cranberry walnut and orange chocolate breads, a regular minifeast of holiday goodies.

No other holiday centers more on food than the traditional harvest celebration, the Thanksgiving meal eaten on the last Thursday of this month.

Real Simple magazine suggests that even though turkey is usually the main course of the Thanksgiving meal, it’s really the side dishes that are the star of the show. They feature a recipe for butternut squash bread pudding among their “scene-stealing sides.”

Squash has been a part of this holiday dinner ever since the first Plymouth affair. Early explorers in this country marveled at the large variety of “melons” and “edible gourds” being cultivated by Native American farmers.

“Spirit of the Harvest: North American Indian Cooking” by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs features a recipe for stuffed sugar pumpkin, a small sweet pumpkin filled with wild rice, venison or lean ground beef, green onions and sage. It was a dish hailed for its healthfulness and flavor. Easy to cook, mild in flavor, colorful and vitaminrich, pumpkins, acorn and butternut squash are great sources of betacarotene, a nutrient that’s been linked to lower cancer risk.

Colonial plantations supported so many families that every pound of food grown that could be wintered over was priceless. Root cellars were dug deep into the earth below frost line. Vegetables stored there were kept cool but were in no danger of freezing. They held turnips, both Irish and sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, cabbage and, of course, squash. It is reported that a favorite dish of George and Martha Washington at Mount Vernon was baked acorn squash stuffed with Brussels sprouts and onions.

Squashes were once quite seasonal. Some varieties, such as zucchini, pattypan and yellow squash, are called summer squash and are eaten when immature and tender skinned. They were available only during spring and summer.Winter squashes, such as butternut, acorn and Hubbard, are allowed to mature until their skins are hard. They were available only in fall and winter. Now many varieties are available year-round.

When selecting squash, look for firm, unblemished ones that seem heavy for their size. Whole summer squash should be stored in the refrigerator. Store winter squash in a cool, dry place slightly above refrigeratortemperature. Once cut or cooked, they should be refrigerated and used within a day or two. One pound of peeled, trimmed winter squash makes about two cups of cooked squash. Plan about one-half pound per serving.

Lucy Wing, author of the column “From Lucy’s Country Kitchen,” suggests simplifying the holiday meal by cooking winter squashes in the microwave ahead of time and refrigerating them. Before serving, simply glaze squash wedges with maple syrup or brown sugar and butter, then heat them under the broiler when the turkey is out of the oven.

Food editor Holly Sheppard recommends using frozen mashed squash. Heat and swirl into mashed potatoes for a colorful side dish. Stir into a pot of vegetable soup to transform it into a creamy chowder. For dessert, stir a little pumpkin pie spice into thawed squash. Serve with ice cream and maple syrup.

Susan Holland, who works for the Westside Eagle Observer, is a lifelong Benton County resident.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 11/10/2010