Do Squash emit Glue?
Ok, so squash is one of those foods that I never seem to like, but I think that if I cook it just so, I might. Every year I buy a new one, and today, I cut up a butternut from the farmers market.
I peeled it, and cut it up, and then tossed all of peels into the compost bucket. I went to wash my hands, and my left hand (the one that I was holding said squash with) seems to be covered in a glue like substance. In fact, it feels like I have covered it in elmers glue. I have washed my hands 5 times, and it doesn't seem to be going away.
Am I
a) crazy,
b) a victim of a malicious squash attack (and crazy)
c) covered in some sort of common squash slime (and crazy)
or
d) having an allergic reaction (or chemical/ingredient interaction)?
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13 Comments:
b. After peeling, most squash varieties leave some kind of slimy residue that gets all over your hands. Wear gloves!
Raphael at 6:50PM on 09/21/08
It's just the starchy liquid that comes from the squash. It is not an evil, masterfully executed squash attack. The squash is your friend--especially after it's roasted, mashed with butter, and sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar.
beth1 at 6:59PM on 09/21/08
they are kinda gooey but i never had a problem that a wash with soap and water didn't take care of. I generally never touch it, much. Just cut it in half longways, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, salt, pepper and a little drizzle of olive oil. put it on a sheet pan and roast in the oven (like a potato). It sounds like you're fixin to boil it. It'll get waterlogged and bland. No wonder you don't like it. I'm telling you, roast the thing. Even if you've already cubed it up, roast it anyway with the same salt, pepper and olive oil. .
nightmoon at 7:00PM on 09/21/08
Right on, rightmoon! And for a little extra pizzazz, add some chili powder to the cubed squash along with the salt, pepper, and oil.
fewteeth at 7:07PM on 09/21/08
You are observant, not crazy. If I remember right from horticulture school, that goo is a protective reaction. If a squash on the vine gets damaged it will exude goo which may harden and heal the wound. It's just like a tree with damaged bark oozing sap or your body making a scab over a cut or scrape. If you look at your Halloween pumpkin, a cousin of the squash, you may see a bumpy scar where the pumpkin was once damaged.
Your squash was just doing its natural thing.
Blue Iris at 7:09PM on 09/21/08
Also, if you like to mix sweet and savory, maple syrup is delicious with roasted butternut squash. And use lots of black pepper.
Blue Iris at 7:11PM on 09/21/08
I think its the strawmato people. They heard us making fun of them.
JerzeeTomato at 7:23PM on 09/21/08
Oh, man ... we had this problem back in June making soup for 75 people. The butternut squash was the culprit. I'd never seen it before. Of course, I'd never peeled squash that lightly before either ... It was probably five days of regular handwashing with both Dawn and a commercial liquid hand soap before the stuff was finally gone. I was ready to get out a putty knife ... or a chisel ... maybe some steel wool ...
LunaPierCook at 7:41PM on 09/21/08
Guh I hate that sticky mucousy film. It dries on your hands and is impossible to remove...it eventually rubs off on its own, but its certainly annoying until then.
fuuchan at 1:29AM on 09/22/08
I was planning to roast the squash in the oven in a mix of other veggies.
Thanks everyone on the glue thing, I have never had this with other squashes!
Geeka at 6:40AM on 09/22/08
Zucchini is the most common culprit around here, cucumbers do it to an extent to, but not as badly as zucchini.
I've actually never been slimed by a butternut, kabocha, what have you, or any of the bigger, hard shell squashes.
fuuchan at 1:08PM on 09/22/08
Actually, I thought that some people did have an allergic reaction to winter squash that caused contact dermatitis?
cyberroo at 1:41PM on 09/22/08
I have that happen if I peel and cube squash, which is why I don't do it unless I absolutely have to. Once the goo is there, a stiff brush (like a nail brush, for manicures), some soap and elbow grease works pretty well at taking it off. But since I'm lazy, I just cut the thing in half and roast it, like a lot of ppl have said.
buffy at 4:35PM on 09/22/08