November 2, 2019 Season 6, Episode 31

“Cushaw Squash”

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 on 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.

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

Links to guests and mentioned events:
Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman
Jill Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/jill.sauceman

Hidden Rivers Film:
Monday, November 4, 2019, 6:00 PM 8:30 PM, Lawson Auditorium, Maryville College, Event Details:

https://www.freshwatersillustrated.org/events/2019/11/2/hidden-rivers-maryville

Beardsley Farm Community Workday: November 16th, 9:00-12:00 Noon. See details at the facebook link.

https://www.facebook.com/events/902426226825341/

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 at 350 degrees)
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 cream2 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.

The traditional Cushaw squash. This one measured about 16 inches in length. They can weigh anywhere from 10-20 pounds.