Cucumber - Fresh from the Garden

Meet William - Your Garden Guide
for Cucumbers!

Welcome everyone! Pull up a chair and we'll have a nice visit. Maybe I'll even tell you a story...

The cucumber is a tropical plant, native to Asia. They are one of the world's oldest cultivated vegetables, with a history some 10,000 years strong. They were also one of the first plants to be cultivated in greenhouses.

Cucumbers are a member of the squash family. They were brought to the "New World" by Christopher Columbus, and spread quickly throughout North America.

In addition to their value as a food product, cucumbers have been recognized for their cosmetic value. They have long been used as a healing agent for the skin.

Cucumbers are an excellent source of the trace mineral silica, which contributes to healthy connective tissue. Connective tissue creates the actual form of your body, holding all the muscles and organs together into your unique shape. Healthy connective tissue is huge! Eat your cucumbers!

Cukes are also helpful for use as a skin tonic, reducing swelling under the eyes and to help mild burns, including sunburn.

Cucumber is generally regarded as having cooling energy.

Please see your health provider for guidance on your own health program.

Don't you just love a fresh cucumber salad on a hot summer day? Cukes will really cool you off, and are especially wonderful when served alongside something spicy. Cucumber condiments such as the Indian raita and Greek tsatsizi reflect this cooling energy so very well!

Cucumbers are generally eaten either raw or pickled, though they can be cooked. You'll find them on a salad, sliced in sandwiches, or cut into spears on a crudite tray (little raw veggie pieces served with dip). They also make a fabulous cold summer soup.

The cucumber skin is edible. Fresh cukes from the garden or farmer's market may be left unpeeled (if grown without chemicals); cukes obtained from a grocery store will most likely be coated with wax — peel these off!

Cucumber — Try this: Slice a fresh cucumber and a little bit of fresh onion as thinly as possible. Layer the mixture in a bowl with several generous sprinkles of salt (preferably sea salt) between the layers. Allow to sit for an hour or so, giving it a stir halfway through if you like. You'll notice that it gets quite watery. Now take the whole mixture and dump it into a colander or sieve and drain into the sink. Run some fresh water over it to remove some of the salt. Let it sit for a few minutes until it stops dripping. Mix in some sour cream, plain yogurt, or a combination. Let the whole mixture sit for a few minutes, then stir and serve as a side dish. Any leftovers (ha ha!) will keep well in the refrigerator, since the salt acts as a preservative.