In my last post [0], I advised against growing squash in an urban garden. But that doesn't mean I don't like squash—far from it, in fact. It ranks right up there as one of my favorite vegetables, though it doesn't quite reach the echelon of the tomato.

Not so for my family.

My father is with me, at least, but my mother, sister, and husband straight up dislike it, and my kids could take it or leave it. I thought maybe they would reconsider when last week I picked a few summer crookneck beauties to take with me on a family beach vacation at Fenwick Island. I was wrong.

Within the first hour of arriving at the beach house, I proudly presented the squashes, one of which was golden yellow and approaching the size of a small melon. My sister wrinkled her nose. "What is that? And what are those weird wart things on it?"

My mother's reaction was similar. "Oh great. More squash. Your father already insisted on bringing a bunch of gem squash from his garden. Well, as long as I don't have to cook any of it..."

The first night we had fresh-picked Delmarva corn, Kielbasa, and a tossed salad. "Just no room for squash," my mother said. The second night we went out to smash crabs. My third and last night at the beach, I walked into the kitchen to find my mother and sister prepping barbeque chicken and scalloped potatoes. I announced that I was adding squash to the mix and put on the pot to boil. My sister grudgingly chopped them up, excising large pieces she said had "gross urban stuff on them."

Despite the chopping, the squash weren't yet cooked when the chicken and potatoes were ready, and the family wasn't going to wait.

"Really, I just have never seen the point in squash," fumed my mother. "It has no taste, no nutrition, and it takes forever to cook. I mean, it's not even green. Greens are the only vegetables with any value. Really, squash is just silly. It's not worth it."

I take issue with her on the flavor issue. Squash isn't bursting with flavor, but that's not its schtick. If broccoli is ubiquitous shrimp, squash is overlooked abalone: all about delicate flavor best savored when tender and young. Just add low- or no-fat margarine, or butter if you're feeling wicked, then sprinkle on some salt, and it's delicious.

On the nutritional value question, okay, summer squash's 14% vitamin C [1] can't compete with broccoli's 148% [2]. But its iron and calcium are pretty comparable, and summer squash has lower carbs—by 4%.

Plus it really doesn't take that long to cook; we just started it too late at the beach. And when I finally served it—as what my mother snidely called the main course—my father and I ate it with gusto. We aimed to show poor squash that we, at least, are on its side.