A crookneck squash is a yellow summer squash with a distinctive curved neck and bumpy skin.

It's thought that all yellow squash were originally crookneck; only through breeding have we ended up with the straight-necked, smooth-skinned yellow summer squash we more often see today.

Like all summer squashes, crooknecks are picked while immature and have an edible skin. If you happen to get an older crookneck with a particularly tough exterior, you might want to cut some of it away with a vegetable peeler. The thicker rind of the crookneck and the slightly sweet flesh hold up beautifully when baked, roasted or grilled.

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(Image courtesy of Wikipedia.)