Southern Appalachian "Cushaw Squash", Native American history & recipes with Fred & Jill Sauceman

by Amy Campbell

October 20, 2018 Season 5, Episode 36
Southern Appalachian ”Cushaw Squash with Native American history & recipes with Fred & Jill Sauceman”

 - Food Historian Fred Sauceman (from Johnson City, TN) shares the Native American history of the Cushaw Squash and a Cushaw pudding recipe.

- Jill Sauceman shares cooking tips of how she cooks her Cushaw and handy tips to cooking, peeling, and preserving the Cushaw.

- Amy Campbell share a delicious “Cushaw Pie” recipe (recipe below, keep scrolling).

- A list of current events that are farming and local food focused.

Connect with Fred and Jill:
Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman
Jill Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/jill.sauceman

Sponsor of The Tennessee Farm Table is Century Harvest Farms
and Century Harvest Farms Foundation located in Greenback, Tennessee.

Links to mentioned events:
Eastside Sunday Market Fall Harvest Oct 21,2018t: https://www.facebook.com/EastsideSundayMarket/

CAC Beardsley Community Farm Harvest Festival, October 21st, 2018: https://www.facebook.com/events/265809570932988/

Slow Food TN Valley Pie Contest, October 28th, 5 - 7:30 pm at Hexigon Brewing Co, Knoxville: https://www.facebook.com/events/252873125369925/

Herbal Wellness Workshop at Historic Marble Springs with Mama Lucy’s Mountain Ways: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/553452855082820/


Cushaw Pie Recipe

Total time: 65 minutes (Plus an hour and a half to cook the Cushaw)
Prep time (including cooking Cushaw is 1 and 1/2 hours
Cook: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

This recipe requires cooked Cushaw. Cushaw is not easy to peel, and a way to make this easier is to follow Jill Sauceman’s advice. She washed the Cushaw real well, pokes holes in it and roast the whole thing in the oven for about an hour until it is soft. She scoops out the flesh, removes the skin and seed and purees the cooked Cushaw in her food processor. She then freezes the pureed Cushaw until she is ready to use it for her pies. 

You can peel the Cushaw before cooking, but it is a job.

Ingredients

  • 1 unbaked pie shell

  • 2 1/2 cups cooked, mashed cushaw

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 2 eggs, beaten

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

  • 2 tablespoons melted butter

Here are the steps:

  • - Stir together the mashed cushaw and cream; add beaten eggs. Mix well and add sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, and allspice; mix well to blend. Blend in lemon extract and butter.
    - Pour mixture into the prepared unbaked pie shell and bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes.
    - Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for about 40 minutes longer.

Painted wood “Cushaw Art” by Amy Campbell

Painted wood “Cushaw Art” by Amy Campbell