In Provence, in the hamlet of Petit-Palais near Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, you’ll find France’s largest organic producer of French Muscade squash. As you drive along the road from Apt to Avignon, you’ll be sure to notice the fantastic orange mountains… the squashes are piled into huge wooden boxes, waiting to be sliced and carefully packed before being shipped all over France.
Squash... on the market and on our plates!
In the south of France, this vegetable is a must, found on market stalls, especially farmers’ markets, and more particularly on the Petit-Palais market…
20 years ago, squash grower Marcel Serre created this market a few steps from his business; it takes place every Saturday morning, from Easter to Christmas. On October 15, the squash festival will be held, and many of those taking part will be sharing their recipes based on various varieties of squash: nutmeg, spaghetti, butternut, pumpkin…
Because in Provence, we don’t hesitate to buy this vegetable whole, however large it may be… We love it and eat it in soup, gratin, crumble… and even in bread or cakes!
The queen of autumn soups
It’s made with “Cucurbita moschata” or “Muscade de Provence”, a musky, sweet, nutty flavor… It goes beautifully with potatoes and chestnuts… some add fresh cream for even more sweetness, others prefer a drizzle of olive oil.
Find out more about Provence Musquee squash
Full of vitamins (A, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, K) and rich in manganese, this vegetable, although sweet, is low in calories.
This “Provençal pumpkin” is grown in the same way as other cucurbits: melons, zucchinis… in fact, the plant looks very much like a melon… Its dark green leaves are about 5 times larger than a melon plant, and they cover the entire field. Unlike melon cultivation, where only a few arms are left on the plant for the fruit to develop, here the plant grows freely.
The squash appear in summer, so they can soak up the sun for at least 90 days. Their dark green color, identical to that of the leaves, means that the walker doesn’t notice them right away.
It takes 120 days of growth to reach maximum flavor, and it’s not until September that the vegetable takes on a pretty orange hue.
Did you know?
Squash can also be a decorative element:
Make a vase from a hollowed-out squash and create pretty autumnal bouquets, combining branches, berries and flowers …
And for Halloween, transform a squash into a grimacing face lit up with candles!
We invite you to contact our agency Plaisirs & Maisons de Provence by clicking here, and we’ll be happy to tailor your stay to enjoy this delicious autumn vegetable.
For accommodation, we suggest a selection of Vacation Rentals in Provence by clicking here:
