[jambop]

OK lost interest in butternut a bit and looking for something different... suggestions please 

[Aidy]

For me best tasting.... Crown Prince and then my second fave is Sweet Dumpling.
Sweet dumpling are lush, cut in half and scoop seeds out and fill with a reyt good curry and bake.

[Mr Dog]

I usually grow Crown Prince, Blue Banana, Blue Hungarian (this one doesn't break up when cooked in eg curries), Thelma Saunders, Uchiki Kuri and Honey Bear
All tasty and different.

[mumofstig]

Every year I grow Thelma Sanders, Uchiki Kuri, Celebration/Festival and Tromba d'Albenga.
This year I had my first real success with Butternut, the variety was Sweetmax - I don't know if it was the weather or just this new to me variety, but will grow them again next year.
I also like the larger varieties Queensland Blue, Flat White Boer & Jarrahdale.
I have a packet of 'T&M's High Sugar Mix' - different small varieties, that don't take up much room - but they've all been lovely so far

[AnneB]

My favourites are Thelma Sanders, Flat White Boer, Sucrette, Boston and Musquee de Provence.

[jambop]

Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to try crown prince and muscade de Provence , which we see a lot in the shops sold by the slice or section... it is quite a nobbly thing.

[jaydig]

I've found Crown Prince to be the best tasting and also the best for keeping.  Mine have always lasted easily until the end of March/April the following year with no problems. 

[rowlandwells]

yep crown prince seems to be the choice for many including me we have ordered crown prince seed to try as well as hunter jack o'lantern Waltham and tom fox probably grow Atlantic Giant for the pumpkin show held in the village 

[Flowertot]

Jambop, I am Australian and grew up eating Queensland Blue (MoS mentions it above). It is hard to peel as it has a hard, thick skin but it’s definite worth the effort in my view - it keep for ages and tastes absolutely fantastic roasted (think caramel, not watery like a butternut  . I’ve tried to grow it in England but it only works well for me in a really long hot summer as it doesn’t ripen to its full flavour without lots of sun over a long period (ie like in Queensland  ). So I tried Crown Prince which is similar (but not quite as tasty...) and more suited to the English climate and it does really well for me here. You are in the South of France so you are likely to be able to ripen Queensland Blue well. That’s my tip and what I would try where you are. I may or may not be biased! 

[New shoot]

If you want a rich tasting squash, the Japanese kabocha type are worth considering.  I grow Black Futsu, which is a smallish fruit that is dark purple/green and goes orange in store.  I got 7 off one plant this year and it is the one closest in the picture.  It is really chestnutty (is that a word?) and different from anything else I have grown.

The picture is lifted off my diary, so if you want to expand it, it is here 

https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=129333.msg1520428#msg1520428

[mumofstig]

They look nice NS - Black Futsu  I think I grew these once, and they were very hard to cut into.
Are they the same for you?

[New shoot]

I think I grew these once, and they were very hard to cut into.
Are they the same for you?

No, not that I have noticed.  I think Crown Prince is tougher tbh.

[jaydig]

I grew some winter hubbards once because I'd read that they tasted wonderful.  A whole drawer full of various knives and cutting implements, plus one or two near misses that might have resulted in needing an ambulance, I gave up and composted the lot.  I never did get to find out if the flavour was good,but at least I retained my appendages.  Probably needed a circular saw just to open one.

[New shoot]

You can put a whole squash in a moderate oven to cook, then cut it open afterwards.  I've done it a few times when I want squash for something and have the oven on anyway.  Obviously that would be a challenge with a monster sized Crown Prince    I saw Jamie Oliver do it with a shop bought butternut and thought hmmmmm, but it works 

The very outer skin detaches from the rest, goes hard and peels off easily.  The seeds are a bit messier to get out than if raw, but not that bad. You can roast to the softness you want depending on whether you want to chunk it up, scoop it for soup or whatever.

Even if I have cut a squash up, I tend to roast it with the skin on, rather than faff about peeling.  You lose a lot less doing it this way as well - fingers as well as squash   

[mumofstig]

  You lose a lot less doing it this way as well - fingers as well as squash