Buttercup Gold Nugget

🎃 Buttercup Gold Nugget Squash (Cucurbita maxima) – A golden treasure for northern gardens

The Buttercup Gold Nugget Squash is a compact, early-maturing, and ornamental variety that produces small, round, deep-orange fruits, perfect for cool-climate gardens like those in Quebec and across Canada. Its sweet, smooth orange flesh is ideal for purees, soups, or roasting, and it shines equally well in rustic or gourmet recipes.

This variety thrives in small spaces, even containers, and offers a generous yield on bushy plants. A relative of traditional buttercup squash, it has no prominent ring on the bottom, making it easier to store, prep, and cook.

🌱 Germination & Growing Tips for Buttercup Gold Nugget

🔹 Sowing & Germination

1️⃣ Indoor sowing: Late April to May, 3–4 weeks before last frost
2️⃣ Direct sowing: Late May or once soil is at least 18°C (65°F)
3️⃣ Depth: Sow 2–3 cm deep
4️⃣ Germination: 6–10 days at 21–26°C (70–79°F)
5️⃣ Spacing: 60–90 cm between plants

🔹 Growing in Canada & Quebec

• Soil: Rich, well-draining, amended with compost

• Light: Full sun (6+ hours per day)

• Watering: Deep but infrequent; essential during flowering and fruit development

• Container growing: Yes – use a deep pot (25+ liters recommended)

🌿 Tip: Mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

📜 Origin & History of the Gold Nugget

The Gold Nugget Squash was developed in the 1960s to meet the needs of short-season growers in colder climates. Bred from buttercup squash types, it offers a bush-like growth habit and quick maturity, producing fruits that store well and are easy to handle.

Highly popular across North America, it has become a go-to autumn crop for its flavor, yield, and long shelf life.

🍽️ Culinary Uses – Autumn flavors, global inspiration

🇨🇦 Roasted Gold Nugget Soup with Maple

• Roast squash with oil, then blend with caramelized onions, broth, cream, and a dash of maple syrup

• Garnish with toasted seeds and a swirl of cream

🇮🇹 Stuffed ravioli with squash & ricotta in sage brown butter

• Mix roasted squash with ricotta, nutmeg, and parmesan

• Fill ravioli and serve with brown butter infused with fresh sage leaves

✨ Gourmet recipe: Gold Nugget squash gnocchi, parmesan foam & crispy pancetta

Ingredients:

• Roasted squash flesh, flour, egg, nutmeg

• Cream infused with parmesan, aerated with a siphon

• Crispy pancetta

Preparation:
1️⃣ Form gnocchi with squash puree
2️⃣ Sauté until golden
3️⃣ Plate with warm parmesan foam and pancetta chips for a refined dish

🍸 Seasonal Cocktail: Gold & Spice

• Gold Nugget squash purée, cinnamon syrup, bourbon, lemon juice

• Serve over ice with a flamed orange twist
  👉 A cozy, fragrant drink for autumn evenings

⚠️ Edibility & Precautions

✅ Fully edible fruits, rich in beta-carotene, fiber, and vitamins
✅ Tender skin is edible when fully cooked
🚫 Leaves and stems are not edible – do not consume
🚫 As with all squashes, avoid fruits with a bitter taste – this can indicate cross-poll