SEXING THE ZUCCHINI REVISITED:JUST WHEN I THOUGHT MY ZUCCHINI SEX EDUCATION WAS COMPLETE…

After all the peering and poking into the nether regions of so many male and female zucchinis (see an earlier post from July), I didn’t think there was more to be discovered about their anatomy and habits. But then today, as I was snooping around looking for some male blossoms to use in a frittata, I saw what happens to those that do not get selected. To my surprise, I see that they go into such a sulk that they actually detach THEMSELVES and then lie there to wither wherever they fall. (Unless someone like me comes along to nab them in time to put them to good use before they rot.)

The lady zuke blossoms, on the other hand, cling to their progeny come what may, even as they themselves become old and shriveled. Is this just a case of “vive la difference”? I am going to have to think a bit more about that.

I do feel good about having taken advantage of some male blossoms in all stages of their manliness by turning them into something delicious. My husband thinks that their flavor is too subtle to do much for a frittata, but even if so, they add beautiful color to the dish while adding extra bulk to the eggs. That latter trait comes in handy if you are short of eggs and want to 
s-t-r-e-t-c-h them to feed more frittata lovers. 


Despite any character flaws they may have, I am through "dissing" the male zucchini blossom. Especially when they end up looking like this!

Or this:

Here I've used zuke blossoms to decorate a cous cous salad:

And on a day that flipping the frittata was not going to be my risk-for-the-week, I just used the zuke blossoms in some delicious scrambled eggs: