Q. What is the difference between squash, pumpkins, and gourds? Are some gourds edible? Squash (both winter and summer types), pumpkins, and gourds are members of the cucurbit family (as are cucumbers ...

Gourds belong in the same family as pumpkins and squash. Most are not grown for culinary purposes but for decoration. Look for an edible variety called bitter gourd, or bitter melon. Bitter Melon, ...