I have never been a picky eater.

When asked, I can barely think of a handful of foods that I actively dislike, and it seems that every time I try one of those foods on that list again my opinions change for the better. Lately Nam Pla (Thai fish sauce) and anchovies have moved from the "won't eat" to the "useful and sometimes tasty" category.

However, one of the foods that remains firmly lodged on my dislike list is squash, zucchini particularly (with many apologies to Clotilde), but also summer, acorn, crookneck, yellow...basically every squash except for butternut and spaghetti. And man, do I ever love spaghetti squash.

I was first introduced to spaghetti squash by my fabulous foodie friend (and former roommate) W, who used to cook us one for a quick, light dinner. While many recipes use spaghetti squash in place of actual spaghetti and top it with a tomato sauce or such, W tossed hers with butter and parsley, and that's the way I've always liked the dish, plain and simple.

However, spurred by a newfound love of tarragon, I came upon a combination of spaghetti squash and herbs that I think far surpasses the parsley and is just as simple, by using a mixture of Fines Herbes that complements the sweetness of the squash perfectly.

To wit: cook one spaghetti squash (of any size) in the oven until it's done. Sorry for the terseness, but it's hardly difficult...you can halve it and cook it face down on a baking sheet at about 375 for about 40 minutes, or just throw it in there whole for a longer time, but the timing and temperature depend on the size of the squash, your oven, and your patience (I've heard of cooking it in the microwave, but that's not for me). When the squash innards shred away from the shell in long strands (like spaghetti!), it's done. I actually like mine a little crunchy. Toss with butter (or faux butter, if you like) and a hearty sprinkling of Fines Herbes (I don't know if all mixtures are the same, but mine - from Dean and Deluca - is a blend of chervil, parsley, tarragon, and chives). Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy a large guilt-free bowl of veggie goodness....