Marrow (vegetable)

Last updated
Marrow
Courgette Cucurbita pepo.jpg
TypeFruit
Place of origin England
Growing marrow Cukkini.JPG
Growing marrow
Flower of marrow Zucchiniflower.jpg
Flower of marrow

A marrow is the mature fruit of certain Cucurbita pepo cultivars used as a vegetable. The immature fruit of the same or similar cultivars is called courgette (in Britain, Iran, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand) or zucchini (in North America, Japan, Australia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany and Austria). [1] Like courgettes, marrows are oblong, green squash, but marrows have a firm rind and a neutral flavour, making them useful as edible casings for mincemeat and other stuffings. [2] They can be stored for several weeks after harvest (like pumpkins and other winter squash), to be processed for food when required. [3] They are a vegetable used in Great Britain and areas with significant British influence, though their popularity is waning in favor of immature summer squash like courgette. [1]

Contents

Giant marrows are grown competitively in the United Kingdom, where the term "marrow" is often restricted to the striped, thick-skinned cultivar. [4] [5]

In a culinary context, marrows are a vegetable; usually cooked and presented as a savory dish or accompaniment. Botanically, marrows are fruit, a type of botanical berry, being the swollen ovary of the marrow flower. Marrows, like all squash, have their ancestry in the Americas.

History

Marrow cutaway Marrow cutaway.jpg
Marrow cutaway

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first mention of vegetable marrows dates to 1822, [6] zucchini to 1929, [7] and courgettes to 1931. [8] However, the word zucchini had already appeared in newspapers by 1916. [9] [10] Before the introduction of Cucurbita species from the New World, marrow signified the immature, edible fruits of Lagenaria ,[ citation needed ] a cucurbit gourd of African origin widely grown since antiquity for eating when immature and for drying as watertight receptacles when grown to maturity.

Vegetable marrows (distinct from courgettes) on sale in a British supermarket Marrows in supermarket.jpg
Vegetable marrows (distinct from courgettes) on sale in a British supermarket

Marrows are commonly cultivated in the British Isles, and the term "marrow" for the plant and for the fruit is current there, especially for the striped, thicker-skinned cultivar. However, both in North America (since the 1920s) and in Britain (since the 1960s), thinner-skinned immature marrows have gained popularity due to their tender skin and distinct flavour. Hedrick (1928) in his book The Vegetables of New York, describes the "English Vegetable Marrow" as "one of the earliest forms of marrow squash grown, but has never been exceedingly popular in this country". [11]

The fashion in Britain for eating immature marrows, called "courgettes" in British English, is relatively recent. Sudell (1966) [12] does not mention courgettes, although he has a section on "vegetable marrow", noting both trailing (vining) and bush types and saying "cut when young". Witham Fogg (1966) [13] wrote "Courgettes These are really very tender baby marrows which have long been popular in France. ... Cooked and eaten with butter they form a very palatable dish." He devotes a page and a half to marrows and less than half a page to courgettes, which he clearly regards as something new to Britain.

The heaviest marrow on record weighed 116.4 kg (256 lb 9.8 oz) and was grown by Vincent Sjodin (UK) for entry in the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championships, held at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire, UK, on 23 September 2021. [14]

Nutrition

Marrows, like zucchini, [15] are low in food energy (approximately 71 kJ or 17 kcal per 100 g fresh marrow) and contain useful amounts of folate (24 μg/100 g), potassium (261 mg/100 g) and provitamin A (200 IU [10 RAE]/100 g). [16]

Toxicology

Members of the plant family Cucurbitaceae, which includes zucchini, marrows, pumpkins and cucumbers, can contain toxins called cucurbitacins. These are chemically classified as steroids; they defend the plants from predators, and have a bitter taste to humans. Cultivated cucurbitaceae are bred for low levels of the toxin and are safe to eat. However, ornamental pumpkins can have high levels of cucurbitacins, and such ornamental plants can cross-fertilise edible cucurbitaceae – any such cross-fertilised seeds used by the gardener for growing food in the following season can therefore potentially produce bitter and toxic fruit. Also, dry weather conditions or irregular watering can stress the plant and favour the production of the toxin, which is not destroyed by cooking. [17] [18]

In August 2015, a 79-year-old German man and his wife ate a marrow grown by a neighbour. The couple noted the unusually bitter taste. Shortly afterwards they were both admitted to a Heidenheim hospital, apparently with symptoms of a gastrointestinal infection. The wife, who had eaten a smaller portion, survived, while the husband died. Toxicological analysis of the meal confirmed the presence of cucurbitacin. [19]

"The Marrow Song", also known as "Oh! What a Beauty", was a British song published on 16 December 1952, with words and music by Edrich Siebert. [20] The innuendo-laden song was recorded for Decca by Billy Cotton and his Band with vocals by Alan Breeze and The Bandits on 1 December that year, under the title "The Marrow Song (Oh What a Beauty)". [21] [22] As well as being issued on a single in January 1953, it was included on Cotton's 1955 Saucy Songs EP. [23] [24] In 2013, the recording was featured in a UK television advertisement for the Co-operative supermarket. [25] The song was performed in the 1969 film Kes . [26] This version of The Marrow Song is used at several points in the 2024 video game Thank Goodness You're Here!

Marrows also play an important role in the 2005 animated film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit . In this film, the character of Gromit is devoted to growing a large marrow. The marrow is eventually destroyed when he uses it to lure the Were-Rabbit. The marrow also appears in the video game based on the film; Gromit can control the marrow's growth by adjusting factors such as soil pH, greenhouse temperature, and water flow, as well as by purchasing fertilizers to increase its size.

Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot often expresses his desire to retire and grow marrows, accomplishing his dream briefly in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd .


Related Research Articles

<i>Cucurbita</i> Genus of herbaceous vines in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbita is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, native to the Andes and Mesoamerica. Five edible species are grown and consumed for their flesh and seeds. They are variously known as squash, pumpkin, or gourd, depending on species, variety, and local parlance. Other kinds of gourd, also called bottle-gourds, are native to Africa and belong to the genus Lagenaria, which is in the same family and subfamily as Cucurbita, but in a different tribe. These other gourds are used as utensils or vessels, and their young fruits are eaten much like those of the Cucurbita species.

<i>Cucurbita pepo</i> Species of flowering plant that yields varieties of squash and pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo is a cultivated plant of the genus Cucurbita. It yields varieties of winter squash and pumpkin, but the most widespread varieties belong to the subspecies Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo, called summer squash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zucchini</span> Edible summer squash

The zucchini, courgette or baby marrow is a summer squash, a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and epicarp (rind) are still soft and edible. It is closely related, but not identical, to the marrow; its fruit may be called marrow when mature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calabaza</span> Type of squash

Calabaza is the generic name in the Spanish language for any type of winter squash. Within an English-language context it specifically refers to the West Indian pumpkin, a winter squash typically grown in the West Indies, tropical America, and the Philippines. Calabaza is the common name for Cucurbita moschata in Cuba, Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Philippines. C. moschata is also known as auyama in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela; ayote in Central America; zapallo in certain countries of South America; and "pumpkin", "squash", or "calabash" in English-speaking islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kabocha</span> Type of winter squash

Kabocha is a type of winter squash, a Japanese variety of the species Cucurbita maxima. It is also called kabocha squash or Japanese pumpkin in North America. In Japan, "kabocha" may refer to either this squash, to the Western pumpkin, or indeed to other squashes. In Australia, "Japanese pumpkin" is a synonym of Kent pumpkin, a variety of winter squash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squash blossom</span> Edible flowers of Cucurbita species

Squash blossoms are the edible flowers of Cucurbita species, particularly Cucurbita pepo, the species that produces zucchini (courgette), marrow, spaghetti squash, and many other types of squash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkin seed</span> Seeds of pumpkin and similar squashes

A pumpkin seed, also known as a pepita, is the edible seed of a pumpkin or certain other cultivars of squash. The seeds are typically flat and oval with one axis of symmetry, have a white outer husk, and are light green after the husk is removed. Some pumpkin cultivars are huskless and are grown only for their edible seed. The seeds are nutrient- and calorie-rich, with an especially high content of fat, protein, dietary fiber, and numerous micronutrients. Pumpkin seed can refer either to the hulled kernel or unhulled whole seed and most commonly refers to the roasted end product used as a snack.

<i>Cucurbita ficifolia</i> Plant species cultivated for edible shoots, leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds

Cucurbita ficifolia is a species of squash, grown for its edible seeds, fruit, and greens. It has common names including Asian pumpkin, black seed squash, chilacayote, cidra, fig-leaf gourd, Malabar gourd and Kahurura in Gikuyu. Compared to other domesticated species in its genus, investigators have noted that samples of C. ficifolia from throughout its range are relatively similar to one other in morphology and genetic composition. Variations do occur in fruit and seed color, some isozymes, and photoperiod sensitivity.

<i>Cucurbita moschata</i> Species of flowering plant

Cucurbita moschata is a species originating in either Central America or northern South America. It includes cultivars known as squash or pumpkin. C. moschata cultivars are generally more tolerant of hot, humid weather than cultivars of C. maxima or C. pepo. They also generally display a greater resistance to disease and insects, especially to the squash vine borer. Commercially made pumpkin pie mix is most often made from varieties of C. moschata. The ancestral species of the genus Cucurbita were present in the Americas before the arrival of humans. No species within the genus is fully genetically isolated from all the other species. C. moschata can be hybridized with all other species. It has been suggested that this shows that the species of Cucurbita have diversified more recently than those of related genera such as Cucumis and Citrullus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crookneck squash</span> Cultivar of Cucurbita pepo

Crookneck squash, also known as yellow squash, is a cultivar of Cucurbita pepo, the species that also includes some pumpkins and most other summer squashes. The plants are bushy and do not spread like the plants of winter squash and pumpkin. Most often used as a summer squash, it is characterized by its yellow skin and sweet yellow flesh, as well as its distinctive curved stem-end or "crooked neck". It should not be confused with crookneck cultivars of Cucurbita moschata, such as the winter squash 'Golden Cushaw', or the vining summer squash 'Tromboncino'. Its name distinguishes it from another similar-looking variety of C. pepo, the straightneck squash, which is also usually yellow. There is one similar non-edible C. pepo variety: C. pepo var. ovifera.

Summer squash are squashes that are harvested when immature, while the rind is still tender and edible. Nearly all summer squashes are varieties of Cucurbita pepo, although not all Cucurbita pepo are considered summer squashes. Most summer squash have a bushy growth habit, unlike the rambling vines of many winter squashes. The name "summer squash" refers to the short storage life of these squashes, unlike that of winter squashes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delicata squash</span> Variety of winter squash

Delicata squash is a variety of winter squash with cylindrical fruits that are cream-coloured and striped in green or orange. As its name suggests, it has characteristically a delicate rind. It is also known as peanut squash, Bohemian squash, or sweet potato squash. It is a very sweet variety with a thin, edible skin and is typically cut into half rounds and roasted. It is a cultivar of the species Cucurbita pepo, which also includes the summer squash varieties pattypan squash, zucchini, and yellow crookneck squash, as well as winter squash varieties including acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and most pumpkins used as Jack-o-lanterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter squash</span> Squash harvested and eaten in mature stage; skin hardened into tough rind

Winter squash is an annual fruit representing several squash species within the genus Cucurbita. Late-growing, less symmetrical, odd-shaped, rough or warty varieties, small to medium in size, but with long-keeping qualities and hard rinds, are usually called winter squash. They differ from summer squash in that they are harvested and eaten in the mature stage when their seeds within have matured fully and their skin has hardened into a tough rind. At this stage, most varieties of this vegetable can be stored for use during the winter. Winter squash is generally cooked before being eaten, and the skin or rind is not usually eaten as it is with summer squash.

<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Species of squash

Cucurbita maxima, one of at least five species of cultivated squash, is one of the most diverse domesticated species. This species originated in South America from the wild subspecies Cucurbita maxima subsp. andreana over 4,000 years ago. Cucurbita maxima, known for modern varieties as Hubbard, Delicious, Marblehead, Boston Marrow, and Turks Turban, originated in northern Argentina near the Andes or in certain Andean valleys. Secondary centers of diversity include India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the southern Appalachians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuffed squash</span> Dish common in the former Ottoman domain

Stuffed squash, courgette, marrow, mahshi, or zucchini is a dish common in the region of the former Ottoman Empire from the Balkans to the Levant and Egypt, a kind of dolma. It consists of various kinds of squash or zucchini stuffed with rice and sometimes meat and cooked on the stovetop or in the oven. The meat version is served hot, as a main course. The meatless version is considered an "olive-oil dish" and is often eaten at room temperature or warm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkin</span> Category of culinary winter Cucurbita squashes

A pumpkin is a cultivated winter squash in the genus Cucurbita. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, though it does not possess a scientific definition and may be used in reference to many different squashes of varied appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cucurbitacin</span> Class of biochemical compounds

Cucurbitacins are a class of biochemical compounds that some plants – notably members of the pumpkin and gourd family, Cucurbitaceae – produce and which function as a defense against herbivores. Cucurbitacins and their derivatives have also been found in many other plant families, in some mushrooms and even in some marine mollusks.

<i>Cucurbita argyrosperma</i> Species of plant

Cucurbita argyrosperma, also called the cushaw squash and silver-seed gourd, is a species of winter squash originally from the south of Mexico. This annual herbaceous plant is cultivated in the Americas for its nutritional value: its flowers, shoots, and fruits are all harvested, but it is cultivated most of all for its seeds, which are used for sauces. It was formerly known as Cucurbita mixta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamokamo</span> Variety of Cucurbita pepo

Kamokamo is a variety of Cucurbita pepo, grown as a summer or winter squash in New Zealand. Commonly used in Māori cuisine, the Kamokamo is a heavily ribbed oblate or prolate shaped stocky fruit with speckled green skin, ripening to an orange colour. It is thought to have been introduced to New Zealand during European settlement around the late 19th century and was readily adopted by Māori, displacing the calabash as a food source. Its name originates from the Māori language.

References

  1. 1 2 Dr. D.G. Hessayon (2009). The Vegetable and Herb Expert. London: Expert Books.
  2. ↑ Slater, Nigel (24 September 2000). "Nigel Slater's marrow recipes". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Marrow". Archived from the original on 2010-03-15.
  4. ↑ Austin, Gareth (23 July 2010). "BBC Dig In blog". Dig In Blog. BBC. Retrieved 11 April 2016. Courgettes are commonly described as marrows harvested young. However, there are some slight horticultural differences between courgettes and marrows. Courgettes [Courgette plants] tend to be bushy and [have] thin-skinned [fruit], whereas marrows [marrow plants] tend to trailing and have [fruits with] a thicker skin.
  5. ↑ "The Gardener's Almanac, entry at "Marrow"" . Retrieved 11 April 2016. The general difference between Marrows and Courgettes/Zuchini is; Marrow plants tend to trail out and the fruit skin is quite thick, whereas Courgettes grow as a bush and the skins are quite thin.
  6. ↑ Sabine, J. (1822). "A description and account of the cultivation of a variety of gourd called vegetable marrow". Trans. Hort. Soc. 2: 255.
  7. ↑ Sunset. 58 (2). 1822.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ Lucas, E. (1931). Vegetable Cookery. 266.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ↑ "A Great Chef's Suggestions". Sioux City Journal. Sioux City, IA. December 26, 1916. p. 3. Retrieved January 15, 2022– via Newspapers.com. Then there are the zucchini a sort of green squash. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. ↑ Norton, Jeanette Young (August 26, 1917). "Famous Dishes of Italy, Recipes for Which are Given by Notable Italian Cooks". New York Tribune. New York, NY. p. 34. Retrieved January 15, 2022– via Newspapers.com. Pare and slice in medium slices six zucchini and fry for a few minutes in olive oil. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  11. ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses (1928). The Vegetables of New York. Vol. 1. Albany: J. B. Lyon company. p. 37.
  12. ↑ Sudell, Richard (1966), Practical Gardening in Pictures, London: Oldhams Books, p. 207, OCLC   220388288
  13. ↑ Witham Fogg, H.G. (1966), Vegetables All the Year Round, London: Stanley Paul, p. 105, OCLC   7404259
  14. ↑ "Heaviest marrow". 23 September 2021.
  15. ↑ Percy Russell & Anita Williams (January 1995). The Nutrition and Health Dictionary. pp. 473–474. ISBN   9780412989919.
  16. ↑ "Show Foods". September 21, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-21.
  17. ↑ "Poisonous courgette warning" . Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Auf den Geschmack kommt es an [Taste matters]". 21 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  19. ↑ Zeitung, Süddeutsche. "Mann stirbt an Garten Zucchini [Man dies of garden marrow]". Süddeutsche.de. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  20. ↑ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. 1953.
  21. ↑ Billy's Your Uncle (back tray). Billy Cotton. Watford, Hertfordshire, England: Vocalion. 2004. CDLK 4237.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ↑ The marrow song Oh, what a beauty, Decca., OCLC   477127481 , retrieved 2021-11-15
  23. ↑ Wicks, Don (1998). The Ballad Years, Part 03.
  24. ↑ "Billy Cotton Saucy Songs UK 7" vinyl single (7 inch record) (726211)". eil.com. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  25. ↑ The Co-operative Food Commercial - Pop Culture Cross-References and Connections on @POPisms , retrieved 2021-11-15
  26. ↑ "Kes (1969) Soundtrack". RingosTrack. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
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