Chayote Squash is in season, but how many have even heard of it, let alone cooked with it? Chayote is a member of the gourd family and botanically a fruit. This pear shaped squash grows on a vine and is called a vegetable pear due to the general shape and pale green pear-like color and because, although it is a fruit, it is most often prepared as a vegetable. It also has the crunchy texture of unripe pear. However, it has a mild, almost cucumber-like flavor. Another plus for anyone interested, the entire plant is edible. Feel free to make a salad out of the vines, leaves and even the flowers. The seed is soft and some people just slice it right along with the flesh and cook the whole thing.