Butternut squash making my hands weird

pyjammy — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:00:45 -0800

After cutting up some butternut squash for soup, I noticed that the skin on my left hand became dry and tight. What's going on? No matter how much I wash my hand, it doesn't seem to alleviate the problem, so I don't think it's a residue. Lotion doesn't seem to help, either. I've noticed it before when cutting up butternut squash, but never thought too much about it. (It's not on my right hand, but I assume that's because I was holding it with my left hand and cutting with my right hand, so there wasn't as much contact.)

I can't really tell if it's making my skin peel or if it is just a really stubborn residue. Google searches have shown that some people have the same reaction, but no good explanation why.

I'm pretty sure this won't kill me, but it is kind of puzzling...anyone know what's going on?

Even if it does kill me, though, the soup is so good it'll be worth it.

What tools will help me extract the delicious goodness of butternut squash from its hard waxy peel?

booksandlibretti — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 18:45:29 -0800

What tools are best for peeling and cubing butternut squashes? I'm not looking for recipes; I need recommendations for knives or vegetable peelers or whatever works best. I know about this post (recipes). I just want to peel the squash, cube it, and then steam it until it can be squished with a fork for a mashed-potato texture.

I love butternut squash prepared this way, but last year it took forever for me to peel and cube each squash, and my wrists would be aching by the end (and they're not weak -- I play piano). Maybe my cutting technique is wrong, rather than my tools -- apparently some people claim it's "easy to peel"! I already use just the neck, which has almost no seeds -- I don't fool around with the base. I'd appreciate any other tips you can give me along with knife recommendations.

I'm thinking maybe an offset knife would be good for the cubing? I could easily be wrong, though, and I have no idea what I can use to peel. Whatever sharp things you recommend, I'll probably use them on squash throughout the winter, and hopefully I can get more than one year out of 'em.

I'm a student on a pretty tight budget, and, unsurprisingly, cheap is good -- but my birthday is in November, so I'll probably be able to afford a bit more then. I cook a lot, but I don't have any really good knives; I'm not set up to sharpen anything, for example, and everything I have now is dishwasher-safe.

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Butternut squash making my hands weird

What tools will help me extract the delicious goodness of butternut squash from its hard waxy peel?