Spaghetti Squash - Kinshi

3.25" Pot

ANNUAL

A true Japanese strain of this incredible squash introduced by Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan. It produces wheat-free, low-carb noodles in abundance on productive vines. Founder Takeo Sakata developed an improved strain of a Chinese spaghetti-type squash, which had been growing there since the 19th century. In 1935, Sakata licensed the variety to Burpee, which began offering it as Vegetable Spaghetti.  

In Japan, spaghetti squash is most commonly called ‘Somen Kabocha’ or ‘Kinshi Uri.’ Somen means "skinny noodles" and Kinshi means "golden thread," and it is very popular to eat the ‘noodles’ cold during the hot summer.  Sakata Seed Co. was founded in Yokohama in 1913, and there are records showing they were importing spaghetti squash to North America prior to 1921. Much of the paperwork before the war was lost in the Great Yokohama Air Raid, and there are no documents remaining to definitively answer where their squash originated. What we do know is that the Japanese have been growing this squash for over a hundred years, and people on both sides of the world have been enjoying it for at least that long!

WHY WE GROW IT:

• Cool heritage

• Great gluten-free alternative