Botanically speaking, why is a winter squash like Ambercup classified as a fruit rather than a vegetable?
Answer
It develops from a flower and contains seeds.
The classification of a food item often depends on whether the definition being used is botanical or culinary. Botanically, the defining characteristic of a fruit is its origin: it must develop from the flower structure of the plant and, crucially, it must contain the seeds that allow the plant to reproduce. Since winter squash varieties, including Ambercup, meet these criteria—developing from the squash blossom and housing internal seeds—they are technically categorized as fruits, even though their flavor profile and common usage place them firmly in the vegetable category in the kitchen.
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