Read these guidelines about gourds before using them for your cozy, cold-weather recipes.
Because whats more fun than the classic fall activity ofgourd painting for Halloween and Thanksgiving?
Painting gourds and pumpkins is safer for kiddos than carving, and the decorations last a lot longer.
Credit: Anastasiia Yanishevska / Getty Images
However, are these festive gourds edible when its time to take down the decorations?
Is it safe to cook and eat painted gourds?
What Is a Gourd?
Gourds are part of theCucurbitaceaefamily, alongside watermelon, cucumbers, and summer and winter squashes.
Also, its a toss-up whether the flesh you pull from theseornamental treasureswill be tasty.
Some varieties may offer a subtle sweetness similar to zucchini, while others taste acrid and bitter.
Some are not even edible at all.
These gourd/squash varieties are more appetizing than others:
These gourds are tasty and easy to cut into.
Can You Cook With a Painted Gourd?
It may come as no surprise that eating paint is a bad idea.
After the paint is gone, you might enjoy both the flesh and seeds of these gourds.
Will the paint wash off easily?
Can you cut through the gourd without your knife snapping in half?
Does the gourd look big enough to provide enough flesh and seeds to be worth it?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then there are a few ways to cook them.
As an alternative, boil the flesh for at least 20 minutes.
Then, add it tosoups, curries, stews, baked goods, pastas, and risottos.
With both these options, you must remove the paint first as a safety precaution.
Is Cooking a Gourd Worth It?
No kitchen experiment is a waste of time in our book.
The safest bet is toeat a pumpkin, not a gourd.
It will be easier to clean, peel, and cook, and it will ultimately taste better.
rather than the dinner table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gourds have served many purposes over the centuries.
Native Americans were particularly good at using gourds in various ways.
Around the world, communities use gourds to make birdhouses and musical instruments.
Gourds attract purple martins, a bird that is helpful in controlling insects.
They nest inside gourds and help keep gardens free of pests.
