What characteristic mandates peeling and changes the flavor of a pattypan squash significantly larger than four inches?

Answer

The skin stiffens and the flavor becomes more akin to a potato.

The optimal quality for pattypan squash is achieved when it is harvested young, generally between two to four inches in diameter, ensuring a tender skin and delicate, sweet flavor. However, if the squash is permitted to mature substantially, growing perhaps five or six inches across, the structural components change considerably. Specifically, the outer skin hardens or stiffens, necessitating removal through peeling before consumption. Furthermore, this maturation causes a significant shift in the taste profile, moving away from its characteristic sweetness toward a flavor profile that more closely resembles that of a potato. Larger specimens are thus better reserved for applications like stuffing where significant preparation time is acceptable.

What characteristic mandates peeling and changes the flavor of a pattypan squash significantly larger than four inches?

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