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Tromboncino
Cucurbita moschata · Squash
40 pairings
Tromboncino (also "zucchino rampicante," "trombetta d'Albenga" or "climbing zucchini") is a long, trombone-shaped Italian summer squash — a variety of Cucurbita moschata, the same species as butternut, but harvested young and immature. It has a slim, curving neck that swells into a bulb at the blossom end, a firm, dense, pale-green flesh and a mild, sweet, faintly nutty flavour that many find cleaner and less watery than common zucchini.
Picking a good onedrag
Young and slim, rigid, skin still nicksFlexing, dull, soft-spotted
Shop firmPicked young and slim, 20-40 cm, skin still thin: grill in planks, saute, griddle, pasta.Everyday best
SkinMatte pale green, a scuff or two
The neckFirm, the neck barely flexes
Cut stemScar dry and clean, not sunken
Smell at the cutAlmost nothing at all
What to look for, from young and slim, rigid, skin still nicks to flexing, dull, soft-spotted.
What one gives you
95%
Usable yield
Ends off · thin skin and seedless neck stay
Keeping ittap a band
Below about 5 C the thin skin pits and water-soaks and rot follows fast; the damage often only shows once it is back on the counter.
Humidity
95%
Thin-skinned and quick to shrivel on a few percent of its weight lost. Keep it unwashed in a loose bag so the long neck does not dry.
Airflow
Vented, not sealed
Sealed it sweats and soft-rots. Bag it loosely and do not stack the long fruits deep - a nicked skin plus condensation is rot.
Ethylene yellows the pale skin
It makes very little itself but is damaged by others'. Keep it off the shelf with apples, bananas, tomatoes and melons: the pale skin yellows and softens.