Cukes – the blog
This year on the East Coast farmers markets have an abundance of
cucumbers – they are popping up in different colors, shapes and sizes. Pequenos
are the little ones resembling an inch-sized watermelon, they’re great for
pickling and make a good garnish because of their novelty. Yellow cucumbers are often oval-shaped
and can be mistaken for a lemon since they’re astonishingly similar looking. Small, green cucumbers are great
for pickling with their skin on since it gives them texture and lends them
character. Pickling cucumbers are often called “Kirby“ or “Picklers” and have a
bumpy-textured skin with tiny white or black dotted spines. If cucumbers are
eaten raw, simply sliced, I recommend peeling them since the skin is rather
hard to digest and gives most people a burpy sensation, which is not so
pleasant. Long straight or lightly bent cucumbers a/k/a “English” cucumbers are
most likely destined for supermarkets and are often waxed for their protection
from insects and their shinny, handsome looks – another good reason to peel
them.
Cukes like it hot
Cucumbers like warm weather from 60 – 90 degree Fahrenheit with
the occasional rainfall. Judging the volume at the farmers market and talking
to the people who grow cucumbers I learned that is has been a good season for
cucumbers in the Tristate area.
Cucumber prep
To me cucumbers had a
dull reputation until I started to really think about them. Perhaps because our
local guy at the farmer’s market makes a nice variety of spicy and not-so-hot
pickles, which have been my go-to snack, all summer. Following is one of my
favorite fresh cucumber preparations.
Cucumber Salad with Dill and Sour Cream
(recipe yields four side portions)
2 pound cucumbers (any variety), peeled
1 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper from a mill, to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche
1 tablespoon of dill, chopped
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- Slice cucumbers in half and chop into ¼” thick slices
- Put cucumbers into a colander and toss with salt and put over a bowl – this will catch draining juices. Let cucumbers sit for 30 minutes.
- In a bowl combine black pepper, sour cream, dill and vinegar and stir with a spoon to mix. Toss drained cucumbers into the mix.
Summer days
Cucumbers have an underappreciated amount of phyto nutrients
including flavonoids, lignan
and triterpenes, which are rapidly revealing cancer fighting properties and
benefits to cardiovascular health. Also
cukes have no fat and the majority of their mass is body hydrating water –
ideal for the dog days of summer.
