HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST -TASTING VEGETABLEVARIETIES& OLD AND NEW&; THAT I KNOW

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YAMS

Have you grown sweet potatoes lately? I tried raising them years ago as a beginner, with poor results. Last year, however, I had good luck with two varieties—a vine by the name of Centennial and a bush-type called Puerto Rico—which I planted as late succession crops in place of some spinach.

Centennial came through with the highest yields (and pretty fair flavor), but the P.R.'s had a more distinctive taste ... one that reminded me of roasted chestnuts. From now on, I'll never be without my Centennials for sheer size and yields ... but—for that uniquely nutty flavor—I'll also always grow Puerto Ricos.

SQUASH

It's hard to generalize about the flavor of squash, since there are so many kinds (and since personal tastes vary so widely). As a rule, though, winter squash varieties (acorn, butternut, Hubbard) tend to have a deeper, more filling flavor than summer varieties (zucchini, yellow crookneck, etc.), and—among the winter varieties-the vine-growing types seem to be tastier than bush types.

For the past several years, I've tested a really remarkable—and incredibly large—new winter squash called Pie Squash, Tahiti Squash, or Melon—Squash. (I prefer the last name.) The individual fruits—which grow to 40 pounds on vines that resemble those of butternut squash-of this plant are bow-shaped and feature a round, golden-yellow seed cavity at one end, with an enormous neck full of edible flesh at the other. When immature, the fruits are dark green ... but as they ripen, they turn a yellow color outside and a deep orange inside.

I love to cut small pieces of Melon-Squash into sticks or wafers and eat them with dips. (The sweet and flavorful raw flesh has the texture of a carrot and—roughly—the flavor of a cantaloupe.) The meat, however, is also delicious when boiled for a few minutes, or fried in batter and served for breakfast.

Melon-Squash seeds will be available (for the first time) this year from Thompson & Morgan.

OTHER VEGETABLES, OTHERFLAVORS

In this short space I haven't been able to discuss anywhere near all the distinctive and delicious varieties of vegetables that are currently available from seedsmen. (Rather, I've limited myself to just a few of my personal favorites.) I hope, however, that this discussion has inspired you to try new and unusual garden varieties of all kinds ... and that—as a result—you'll experience for yourself the kind of flavors that are so good, you (and your friends) will never forget them.

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