Pumpkins, acorns, kabocha and other winter squash can be made into delicious dishes but people are intimidated by them because their rinds are so hard.
What are they? They vary in colour, shape and size but they all have thick, hard skin, a layer of dry-ish flesh and a cavity containing fibres, pulp and seeds.
When are they in season? They tend to be harvested in the autumn and winter but they're available year-round because whole (uncut) squash keep well without refrigeration.
How to choose? With all varieties, pick specimens with no bruises or soft spots. They should be heavy for their size, which indicates they have more flesh and a smaller cavity. Some types - such as the green-skinned kabocha (which is popular in Japan) - should have matt, slightly rough rind, rather than smooth and shiny; with others you want the opposite qualities. If you want to make jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween tomorrow, choose traditional pumpkins because when mature, they have a thin layer of flesh and a large cavity, which makes it easier to carve.
What else? The vines and seeds of winter squash are edible. The vines are good when stir-fried or made into tempura. Look for thinner vines as they are more tender. The seeds can be tossed with oil and salt and fried or roasted in their hulls, which need to be removed before the seeds inside are eaten.
There is no easy way to get past the tough rind. Smaller specimens have thinner skins but they also have proportionately less flesh. With bigger squash, use a large, sharp knife and take care. If you're buying halves or quarters of squash, check the exposed flesh is not dry or shrivelled.