I love tromboncini (or the singular, “tromboncino,” or botanical, “Rampicante”) squash. It fills an odd niche, later than most summer squash, yet earlier than most winter squash. It’s storage life is halfway between, too. It’s flavor is somewhere between a zucchini and a butternut. So, I call it an autumn squash.
Tromboncini squash have a long, seedless neck, and dangle from their trellis like a trombone hanging on the wall. Supposedly they can get to the size of a trombone as well, and thus they receive their name. So, 76 tromboncini lead the big parade, and, on a pound of food per square foot measure, they’re one of the most efficient foods we can grow.
Alas, they’re unfamiliar to most people. So we’re still working on getting people to try them (though most everyone who tries one comes back for more). In the meantime, there are lots for us to use. So, I needed to get creative. Here are a few tromboncini uses:
- Younger ones (which can be identified by having more greenish skin) can be used on the grill, or in quick breads like zucchini. They are a bit sweeter, though, so you may want to reduce sugar a little bit in sweetened recipes. They are also drier, which can be an advantage, or may need to be offset by adding more liquid to your recipe.
- More mature ones (more tan-skinned) can be used in soups or roasted like butternut squash. They will keep longer than young ones, though not as long as a true winter squash. Expect three or four weeks.
Tromboncini Squash Recipes
Some Tromboncini recipes I’ve enjoyed. You can, of course, find all of my own tromboncini recipes in the recipes grid.
- Tromboncini Fajitas
- Rotini Tromboncini
- Parmesan Tromboncini Discs
- Organic Farm Newfoundland has some nifty ideas for Tromboncini