Butternut squash and other unpleasantries

I have a love-hate relationship with fall. I love sweater weather, mulled cider, the crackling of  New England leaves beneath my feet, and any excuse to eat apples (in pie form and non-pie form alike). But I hate.. squash. Butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkins (is pumpkin spice really pumpkin?), zucchini, I hate them all. I feel like everyone has one or two foods that they just can’t stand, more often than not stemming from some childhood trauma. Mine  happens to be the most beloved fall vegetable. I feel like not liking squash is a huge elephant in the room at fall tables, like being the requisite vegetarian sitting in front of the 20 pound turkey at Thanksgiving dinner.

I’m generally pretty good about putting everything I see on a plate into my mouth. My dislike extends to only three things:

• egg yolks
• celery
• anything in the squash family

I feel like, in the fall, squash is everywhere, trying to thwart me in soups, roasts, even besmirching perfectly good ravioli. It’s also incredibly cheap and really good for you, as all the Paleo websites preach, but squash and I just can’t make it happen.