# My Butternut Squash Exploded!



## black chef (Aug 8, 2006)

it was on my kitchen counter... it had been there for about 2 weeks.

i was going to make my "famous" butternut squash pie... and with the leftovers, make a butternut squash bread (like a brownie), but then... "BOOM!!!!"

i jumped out of bed... ran into the kitchen and found the squash busted open-leaking down the cabinets and all over the floor.

uh... i've ruled-out terrorism, so what would cause this?


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## cjs (Aug 8, 2006)

OMG!! You have fermenting Butternut Squash????? Distill it!


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## Half Baked (Aug 8, 2006)

What a mess !   That would have scared me to death.  So sorry, BC.....we'll see you after your kitchen is cleaned up.


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## Michael in FtW (Aug 8, 2006)

In a word ... it was rotten to the core. With a hollow core ... the gases (from enzymatic decaying action) built up in the core until it just "exploded". The same thing happens with some other "over ripened" fruits and vegetables with a soft or hollow center - when held at room temp - tomatoes are one example.

Generally ... when the fruit/veg goes rotten ... so does the outer flesh ... and it just oozes a nasty mess all over everything. But, sometimes ... the flesh will stay intact enough for pressure to build up and cause an explosion.


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## Shunka (Aug 8, 2006)

I have this "duck and cover" thing going through my mind reading this!! LOL!!


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## kadesma (Aug 8, 2006)

Shunka said:
			
		

> I have this "duck and cover" thing going through my mind reading this!! LOL!!


  Now that you mention it Shunka,    you just made my day!!

kadesma


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## Shunka (Aug 8, 2006)

Well, that is what I would do and then try to calm the dogs (they would be howling like mad! The cats would be tripping me along the way, lol.) and cats in the house!!  Glad I made you smile!! That makes my day too!!!


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## black chef (Aug 8, 2006)

i was sound asleep... and "boom!"  i thought the FBI or CIA had kicked-in my door for posting copyrighted recipes on the web.

the sad apart about this all is that the butternut squash was from an organic market... it was HUUUUUGE, and i'm sure it was super sweet (the first one i cooked was awesome).

i kept saying..._"it's time to use that squash,"_ but i kept putting it off and putting it off.  

there you have it... the 1st recorded case of butternut squash suicide due to neglect from a want-to-be, part-time, bootleg chef.


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## mudbug (Aug 8, 2006)

but you've learned a valuable lesson, black chef - vegetables have feelings too.


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## black chef (Aug 8, 2006)

mudbug said:
			
		

> but you've learned a valuable lesson, black chef - vegetables have feelings too.


feelings?  i bet they LOVE the feeling of my always dull, cheap, part-time chef's knife chopping away.


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## mudbug (Aug 8, 2006)

your knife must be a cousin to my knife.


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## wasabi (Aug 8, 2006)

Oh my, have you made any enemies lately? How's your eggplant, they have been know to poke eyes out.


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## Chef_Jen (Aug 8, 2006)

From the Society of squash lovers im going to have to report you for Squash abuse lol


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## amber (Aug 8, 2006)

Hilarious!    I can just picture it now


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## Andy M. (Aug 8, 2006)

The NSPCS will be visiting you shortly.  Squash abuse is no laughing matter.  

I never would have imagined that would happen.  Be happy you weren't standing right in front of it when it blew its brains out.


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## Chef_Jen (Aug 8, 2006)

Your right andy and being co chair of the committe we have been looking at this person for 2 weeks now watching and waiting ....we got you now *insert evil laugh* we got you now!


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## Half Baked (Aug 8, 2006)

I got the tape, Jen and Andy.


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## middie (Aug 8, 2006)

Oh ew what a mess that must have been. 
Now I feel bad. I'll go buy you another
one but I don't know if I can e-mail it
to you or not.


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## Half Baked (Aug 8, 2006)

Will these hold you for awhile?  Man, if these went off, it would sound like a bomb.


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## GB (Aug 8, 2006)

Half Baked has WMD or would that be SMD


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## Ellen (Aug 8, 2006)

ROTFL.   (sorry)  It would have been even funnier if it had been a spagetti squash.   Strips hanging from pots and ladles.  Draped across your doggies nose.   Since you had to loose your lovely squash I am glad it went out with a bang, not an ignominious ooze across your bench.  Also glad it did not save itself until the moment you inserted your knife tip.  Now THERE would be a picture.  Thanks for todays good belly laugh


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## expatgirl (Aug 8, 2006)

Dear Black Chef, 

Thanks for your story--you've brought back memories of the time that my husband decided to be an amateur vintner (spelling?) and had several homemade bottled wines "blow their tops" and ruin several outfits in our closet----I was fit to be tied. OH, well, 30 years later we are still married!!


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## kyles (Aug 9, 2006)

I really shouldn't read threads about exploding vegetables at work!!! I shouldn't even be on the internet at work!!!

And Ellen, the mental image of exploding spaghetti squash is just too much!!!!


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## ronjohn55 (Aug 9, 2006)

GB said:
			
		

> Half Baked has WMD or would that be SMD


 
Veggie of Mass Destruction?

I'm worried now, we've got a butternut squash stored in a cool dry place, it hasn't blown up, yet... 

Although the distilling idea is intruiging to me.  

John


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## cjs (Aug 9, 2006)

...anyone grow up with home brew stored under their beds??? Boy, could those bottle blow!!!


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## Constance (Aug 9, 2006)

My Grandma Great was having a meeting of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in her parlor one hot summer afternoon, when Great-Grandpa's homemade beer started exploding in the basement, one after another, "Boom, boom, boom!"
She was mortified. I don't think he ever heard the end of it. 

BlackChef, your situation sounds like one of those "I Love Lucy" moments that happen to me.  Bless your heart, what a mess. 

My husband dropped one of those plastic, screw-top bottles of Coke on the floor one day. Not only did it explode, but when it started spewing, it was like the bottle had a jet engine, spinning it around in circles. Coke went EVERYWHERE, all over the walls, the ceiling, anything within 12 feet. We scrubbed and scrubbed, but to this day, you can still see streaks in certain places.


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## expatgirl (Aug 12, 2006)

Dear Constance,

Did she tell them that the butternut squash was letting off steam??????


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## Banana Brain (Aug 12, 2006)

Yikes! Butternut squash isn't even in season, is it?


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## Harborwitch (Aug 29, 2006)

I can just imagine that squash blowing like that. Just glad it didn't happen on my boat.

Last year we had 25 gallons of wonderful grape juice beginning it's fermentation in our mud room. The proceedure called for the juice to be stirred vigorously 2x a day. Bob gets ready for work (shirt tie etc.) and proceeds to the mud room. 

The juice is in 5 gallon plastic jugs with 1" openings. He removes the cheese cloth coverings one by one and stirs the contents with a wooden dowel. He gets to the 4th jug and notices that it's a bit bubblier than the others, but oh well - must be stirred. I hear this ungodly noise - there he is trying to duck from a spewing fountain of grape juice. Where's the camcorder when you need it?????????    The four Pugs come a running and there's wonderful potential wine (60% syrah, 20% merlot, and 20% rubyred) from the ceiling on down the walls and all over Bob.    He was not a happy camper - lost close to 2 gallons!


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