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Vegetable Gardening

Bitter cucumbers

15 years ago

Hi all,

I've been gardening a long time, and whenever I had bitter cucs, it was usually from not getting enough water. I plant County Fair cucs. They've gotten lots of water this year, but they are still bitter. They look strange too..........not the County Fair I'm used to. Some of them are white when young.

Can I draw out that bitterness by salting them and letting them sit for awhile, like works with bitter eggplant?

Anyone else with County Fair finding that they are acting differently than before?

Thanks.

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Comments (3)

jvk_in_pa
15 years ago
catherinet,

I cannot tell you the cause for the the bitterness in your cucumbers but can suggest a way to reduce or completely remove the bitterness in your cucumbers.

Just cut off a "cap" of a bitter cucumber from the end it was connected to the stem - quarter inch cap should be sufficient.

Now make several random scores on the exposed (head) flesh of the cucumber by a gentle oscillatory motion of an edge of a knife.

Now put the "cap" of the cucumber back on to the exposed end and rub it in a circular motion. Soon you will see white frothy stuff/foam begin to collect at the edges of the cut. When sufficient froth is collected, make another quarter inch cut. Get rid of the frothy small piece and enjoy the rest of the cucumber.

I grew up in South Asia and just about every one I knew back home used this method - I cannot remember eating or serving a cucumber without going through this process.

Please let me know how it turns out.

Regards,
VK
catherinet
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks VK! Sounds very interesting. I'll give it a try!
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lzyjo
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salting definitely helps to reduce the bitterness and also makes them super crunchy.

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