A guide to gourds

They are flowering plants that bear a mixture of edible and ornamental fruit. The latter are not meant for human consumption but are turned into everything from bowls to musical instruments.

Some have hard casings, such as the melon branch and pumpkins. Others are softer, with an edible skin, such as cucumber and zucchini.

We’ve already shared some facts about melons, so let’s take a closer look at some of the other gourds we love to eat.

They aren’t necessarily what they seem on the surface.

• Despite being treated more like a vegetable, pumpkin is botanically a fruit, as are all edible gourds. It can be nice and sweet, such as in the traditional American pumpkin pie or these super scones, or soak up the spices in a curry or laksa.

• Pumpkin is also a squash, though not all squash are gourds. And some you think fits both categories are neither – eggplants have the shape of a gourd but belong to the nightshade family.

• Zucchini, also known by its French name courgette, contains seeds and grows on the flowering part of the plant like other fruit. It works really well as a vegetable, though. Use a spiralizer to turn it into pasta or pair it with cheese and tomato for a barbie delight.

• Cucumber is another gourd used mostly as a vegetable, though when it is equally at home in a salad as it is a spicy salsa or an ice-cold G&T, we just admire its versatility.

Many are mostly water (and other good stuff).

• Cucumbers are more than 95 percent water. This makes them a refreshing snack, particularly in the heat. They are also low in sodium and provide a healthy dose of vitamin K, which helps prevent blood clotting.

• Zucchini carry about the same amount of water and have more potassium than a banana. Produced by the likes of Blazing Saddles Chilli Plant Company and Carnarvon-based growers Loveapple, zucchini also boasts antioxidants that help fight inflammation and are a good source of fibre, vitamin C and beta-carotene.

• Pumpkins are also about 90 percent water but every part of the gourd is edible, including the hard skin – roast a few slices of pumpkin skin and all with a bit of olive oil and garlic and you’ll soon be won over. Roasted pumpkin seeds are also a delicious (and nutritious) snack. Acadia Farms in Kununurra are one of many local growers of this beloved gourd.

• The pumpkin’s orange flesh is loaded with vitamin A and beta-carotene (which gives the gourd its colour), and is a good source of potassium.

They have been around a long time…

• Gourds are believed to be one of the earliest cultivated species, with archeologists tracing them back to the west of Africa more than 10,000 years ago.
• Pumpkin and other squash originated in the Americas, where they were consumed by mammoths and mastodons, spreading the seeds as they munched.
• Zucchini comes from the Italian word for squash (zucca) but they have been dated back thousands of years to Mexico when they were thought to have been developed from the even older pumpkin.
• Cucumbers originated in Asia, with China producing two-thirds of the world’s cucumber and gherkins (also known as cornichons).
• The Roman Emperor Tiberias was known to enjoy cucumber daily, though it fell out of favour in the 17th century when hygiene concerns affected all uncooked produce.
• Western Australians can enjoy them courtesy of growers such as 4 Ways Fresh Produce and Sun City Produce, both in the Mid West.

… and used for many different purposes.

• Gourds were used as containers and flotation devices, before humans decided some were good enough to eat. Early farmers would weed out the bitter tasting ones and replant the more palatable ones.
• The Spanish brought squash back to Spain in the 15th century. Europeans didn’t warm to their charms as quickly, with the French and English mostly feeding them to animals.
• The Mayans and Aztecs, as well as Native American tribes such as the Cherokee, have used the pumpkin to treat all manner of nasties, including roundworm, burns and kidney problems.
• The phrase ‘cool as a cucumber’ is rooted in fact – the fruit can cool the body and the blood.

Looking for ways to cook the gorgeous gourds? Keep an eye on our recipes page for regular additions.