Instructions: Think back to the early 1970s - if you can - when long-haired coffeehouse proprietors clad in earth shoes and faded denim proffered peace, love and a piece of zucchini bread, zucchini muffin or zucchini-carrot cake.

Its simple, home-grown abundance served to underscore the times when people searched for all things organic and environmentally kind. This extremely rapid-growth vegetable from mother earth provided the substance for ... corn souffles, pancakes, pizza toppings, jams, marmalades, cheddar breads, an occasional chocolate cake, cookies, ground chutney, goulashes, meatloaves, even pickles, custards, lasagnas and soups. For many, it was a whole-earth start toward vegetarianism.

Zucchini and its abundance make itself the butt of many a joke, but its rare that a good-for-you ingredient will "hide" as well in main dishes as it does in desserts.

Along with cucumbers, watermelons, melons, pumpkins, gourds, chokos, crookneck and patty pan squashes, zucchini is a member of the cucurbitaceous, or cucurbita popo family. Each member of the cucurbita family has a relatively thin skin, a sizeable wall of tender flesh, then pulp with seeds.

Native Americans on both continents feasted on squash before Columbus arrived, and theres evidence the cucurbita popo family was consumed as much as 9,000 years earlier. How the family reached the Mediterranean region where it gained Continental fame is not clear. However, theres a good possibility Columbus carried seeds back with him.

Zucchini never showed up in latter-day US homes until the 1930s. All through the 20s, asparagus was the vogue veggie, but it was nudged aside when Italian immigrants began to market their zucchini squash, sometimes called Italian squash or "zuccs."

Zucchini grows so fast, it can be not quite big enough one day, then way too big the next. The largest reach a mammoth two feet, plus, and more than six inches in diameter. A prime quality zucchini should be firm, smooth-skinned and small, perhaps three to five inches long and 3/4-to 1 inch wide. Make sure the skin is shiny and dark green.

Zucchini contains vitamins A, C and some B, beta carotene, and very few calories. Serve it raw on vegetable platters, steamed, grilled, fried, baked or cooked in the microwave. Add to tomato sauces, soups, chilies, stews or sliced

In a quiche, even pickled.

If you dont freeze large zucchinis, try stuffing them with sausage and other dressings. Shredded zucchini makes a great ingredient or pasta substitute. To freeze, grate or cube large zucchinis, blanche and freeze in airtight bags or plastic containers.

There is an overriding sense of fairness and justice in the world of zucchini. For all of its laughable, galloping abundance, mercifully there are thousands of ways to use it up. Its basically a matter of what cant you cook with zucchini?

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