Cutting acorn squash

To cut acorn squash, insert a chef's knife and tap it with a kitchen mallet. Once the initial cut is made, reposition the mallet to the base of the knife blade and continue to tap until the squash falls into two separate pieces.

In the kitchen

With its peppery, nutty flavor, acorn squash’s creamy golden yellow flesh is perfect with apples and roast pork. Bake; serve with mussels steamed in white vermouth and an orange sauce. But beware! Its skin has deep ridges that make peeling complicated.