I didn’t do much gardening for several years, primarily because I didn’t get much help from my family members. My bride started planning to retire in 2016 and said she wanted us to start again since she’d be available to help. I planted zucchini that year, but no blooms turned to squash.
The following year, I tried a hybrid variety. I didn’t care for the sweet taste of the 3 I harvested before squash vine borers wiped them out along with the yellow squash. That was my first experience with that pest.
The following year, I tried a hybrid variety. I didn’t care for the sweet taste of the 3 I harvested before squash vine borers wiped them out along with the yellow squash. That was my first experience with that pest.
Between then and the following spring, I poked around, looking for some zucchini-like substitute that was borer proof. I came across the cucuzza, an edible gourd I’d heard of in my feed store days, even sold the seed but never planted it myself. One young lady of Italian heritage mentioned they called it goo-gootza.
I located seed on Etsy.com from Rob’s Rare and Giant Seeds out of Jasper, TN. I also ordered several other seeds that sounded interesting – giant blackberry, dwarf pomegranate, dwarf cowhorn okra, and a few others. Don’t order from Rob.
I’m not positive where I got my seed for the following year other than it was listed on Amazon. After a similar lengthy process, I wound up with 3 birdhouse gourds. Two rotted and one became a marvelous home for fire ants.
The third time charm, this year, was with a reputable seed company – Victory Seeds. I stuck 2 or 3 seeds on the end of cucumber row, got beautiful vines, lovely white blossoms that dropped forming no fruit, but then one day I noticed this little pale green stub of something new. Within 10 days, I had cucuzza. My wife’s first words were, “How do you cook that?” - emphasis on the 'you.'
Searching for recipes, I’ve gotten a pretty good education on cucuzza. It’s usually linked to Italian cooking, often specifically Sicilian. A common proverb in Sicily “Falla come vuoi, sempre cucuzza è” means, “However you cook it, it’s still just squash,” and cucuzza and goo-gootza are frequently used to refer to any zucchini-like squash.
The famous jazz and swing musician, Louis Prima sang an ode to his lady love, “My Cucuzza” pronounced “goo-gootza”. Prima was of Sicilian heritage. You of my generation will likely know Prima as the voice of King Louie in Disney’s animated The Jungle Book.
Supposedly, Tony Soprano refers to his son as ‘Googootz” in the last episode of “The Sopranoes.”
A visiting friend asked for a tour of my garden and stopped in her tracks when she saw the cucuzza and said “Goo-gootza.” She’s from the New Orleans area with a healthy dose of Italian heritage. She wasn’t familiar with the term “cucuzza.” I gave one to a friend who had some Chinese cabinet builders working in his home. They insisted on pointing out that it is an Asian vegetable.
I made a spaghetti sauce using the standard ingredients, hot Italian sausage, and cucuzza. I had some leftover stir-fry Chinese food that was short on vegetables, so I added cucuzza. I stuffed one with shrimp, crab meat and a bit of deviled ham. I tried a soup recipe with potatoes, cucuzza, and other vegetables. I have several packages of a vegan spaghetti sauce that includes cucuzza. Of course, it may have meat added when we consume it. There’s no shortage of recipes online – bread, brownies, stews.
Cucuzza is like zucchini in that it tastes pretty much like whatever you put it with. Unlike zucchini, it adds a sweet taste and keeps its firm texture even after long cooking. I’m not usually fond of sweet flavors in my savory dishes, so I don’t think cucuzza will be a regular staple in our diet.
Cucuzza is like zucchini in that it tastes pretty much like whatever you put it with. Unlike zucchini, it adds a sweet taste and keeps its firm texture even after long cooking. I’m not usually fond of sweet flavors in my savory dishes, so I don’t think cucuzza will be a regular staple in our diet.
And terribly much like zucchini, I don’t know what I’m going to do with all of this stuff. I recall a tale I read about the abundance of zucchini in a small town. It was the only time of year folks had to lock their car doors or someone would put a bag of zucchini in. One man had enough of finding ways to use zucchini and went sort of crazy picking them and throwing them back over his head into his farm pond. When he finished, stood up, and turned around, the entire surface of the pond was covered with zucchini. There’s a similar yarn at - They have the gift of gourd | The Spokesman-Review.
I’ve given cucuzza to everyone I usually give garden surplus to. I picked 3 yesterday (and obviously from the first picture, they’re large). I’ll have another 6 ready in a day or so. Maybe, I can start a cucuzza festival. If you happen to be in the Carencro area, maybe keep your car doors locked.
I wouldn’t be surprised if I start calling my friends and loved ones, “Goo-gootza.”
My primary source of information Cucuzza Squash Information, Recipes and Facts (specialtyproduce.com)
I wouldn’t be surprised if I start calling my friends and loved ones, “Goo-gootza.”
My primary source of information Cucuzza Squash Information, Recipes and Facts (specialtyproduce.com)