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Do you have a favorite type of cucumber?

14 years ago

I've never been too big of a fan of cucumber- I like it in couscous salads, but leave it out of garden salads. Sometimes I'll eat it with a little tabasco, salt, and lemon juice- but that usually means I'm just trying to get rid of it. I've always heard that English cucumbers were the best- that they had smaller seeds, were less bitter, the peels are edible. DH brought home a short fat cucumber the other day and I was so not looking forward to dealing with it. But man, was it tasty! Even my kids loved it, and they haven't liked cucumber until now. So, I'm confused. I did a quick google search and people are still rehashing the same old cucumber logic. Was this just an exceptionally good cucumber or is the English cucumber overrated after all. (It was from the grocery store- not organic.) What's your opinion?

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Comments (9)

lindac
14 years ago
Any cucumber that has lacked for water will be bitter....and one that has been allowed to get too big will have large seeds.....which you scrape out.
I love cucumbers...
English cukes are good....so are the pickeling kind.
Before I cut up a cuke into a salad, I always taste a slice....and if it's bitter I toss it.
triciae
14 years ago
Not sure where you're located but stumbled across a possible explanation of your good cuke reading this week's Drought Monitor.

See the very last headline on the page...

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Cucumbers Sweeter Than Normal in Drought
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triciae
14 years ago
Hmmm, when I checked the link the headliner I wanted to shoe you didn't appear? So...

Here's what it says,

"Ã¯Â¿Â½Monday, Ã¯Â¿Â½July Ã¯Â¿Â½23, Ã¯Â¿Â½2012, Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½1:06:58 PM
A chef in Chicago noticed that cantaloupes and cucumbers grown in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin were surprisingly sweet. Peppers grown during drought are hotter than they would be otherwise as more capsaicin is produced, giving the pepper more heat. Anderson Independent-Mail (S.C.), July 20, 2012"

/tricia
olga_6b
14 years ago
I personally don't like english cucumbers at all. Most of Pickling type are much sweeter and just have more taste in my opinion, especially when they are young. So it all depends on your personal preferences. I only grow pickling type now. I can eat them like fruits with just a little salt. Yum
Olga
jessyf
14 years ago
.....

.....

.....

Depends....are we talking 'eating' cucumbers?

(badap dap)

I personally prefer the smaller Persian cukes, sold at TJs etc.
ynnej
Original Author
14 years ago
:) Very interesting to hear that the drought may be responsible.
foodonastump
14 years ago
You know, Jessy, when I first saw this thread I was thinking, "If this were a few years ago I'd be hitting refresh just to see what EJ says!" LOL

Funny thing with cukes, I guess I'm in the minority that I actually like the seeds and gunk around them. I'm always disappointed when I get a tossed salad and the seeds are scooped out. I'll gravitate towards English or Persian cucumbers when making cucumber salad though, to avoid the excess moisture. I'll have to pay closer attention to the taste of different varieties. I've not noted much difference, I guess I just like cukes.
carol_in_california
14 years ago
I planted pickling cukes and white cukes on June 1st.
They are doing well but none big enough to eat.
I have heard white cucumbers are very good.....we'll see.
arley_gw
14 years ago
I haven't seen them locally, but I was at Trader Joes and bought some Persian cucumbers. Very crisp and sweet, not at all burpy.

And, for those of you like a previous poster (who shall go unnamed) whose mind might be in the gutter, you can google '62 reasons why cucumbers are better than men' (Caution: it's naughty, not safe for work)

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