Caserta Summer Squash

50 days — 'Caserta' is a prolific, early, bush, cocozelle-type summer squash.  It produces cylindrical, slightly tapered, fruits that have creamy flesh and skins that are light-green with dark-green stripes. Best harvested at four to six inches in length which also helps to encourage more growth and productivity.

As with any summer squash, you can harvest them at just about any size. We prefer them at the young and tender stage when they are excellent lightly steamed, sautéed, or stir-fried. However, during the "high season" of summer, unless you are checking your plants daily, the fruit size can get away from you very quickly! Medium sized to large fruit can still be cooked in the same way as previously noted, but since harvest occurs during "barbecue season," we like to quarter the zucchini lengthwise, and with the skin left on, coat them in olive oil, season to taste, and then grill them until tender but firm. Often our seasoning is simply fresh ground black pepper and salt, but experiment with herbs for fun flavor variations.

'Caserta' was bred at the University of Connecticut, introduced by F. H. Woodruff and Sons, and an "All-America Selection^®" winner in 1949. Each packet contains four grams, which is approximately 24 to 28 seeds.