Know Your Cukes

by:
July  9, 2012
4 Comments

Like most veggies, cucumbers aren't all created equal. Salad bars and supermarkets have conditioned most of us to expect our cucumbers to be bland and waxy, but when treated right, the humble cucumber can steal the show.

But don't take our word for it. The Wall Street Journal has collected several great recipes that showcase the oblong fruit, from a cucumber ceviche to a cucumber and buttermilk soup. Personally, we like to eat our cucumbers sliced thin, on a toasted sesame seed bagel with cream cheese and sea salt. But the Vietnamese bread salad (a clever take on Bahn Mi) sounds absolutely amazing. And thanks to the great graphic, we now know what to look for the next time we're browsing the farmer's market. Sorry Kirby, but it's time to branch out.

How do you like your cukes?

Cool Is A Cucumber from The Wall Street Journal

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • aargersi
    aargersi
  • susan g
    susan g
  • Nozlee Samadzadeh
    Nozlee Samadzadeh
Katy K

Written by: Katy K

I'm a writer/editor based out of Somerville, Massachusetts. In addition to blogging for Food 52, I also work as the community manager of MSN's Postbox Boston and as the editor of Milkshake.com. I'm obsessed with food, art and anything that combines the two. My favorite recipes are simple and fresh (like beet salad with arugula and goat cheese). When I'm not working or cooking, I can be found on my hands and knees in the backyard, trying to coax carrots out of the dirt.

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4 Comments

aargersi
aargersi July 10, 2012
Still deciding what to make for the weekend canning potluck - that Vietnamese bread salad just made the short list
 
susan G.
susan G. July 9, 2012
What is probably my most iconic food memory: 1975, Israel -- locally grown food was terrifically flavorful, but the cucumber was a real eye opener. I had never had one that wasn't all crunch, no taste and had to be peeled. Every bite of the cucumbers was intensely tasty, sort of lemony, very clean. Sadly, when I went back (1984), I never tasted anything like that again.
 
Nozlee S.
Nozlee S. July 9, 2012
susan g, that reminds me of the cucumbers I've had in Iran! They're included in fruit bowls along with figs, grapes, oranges, et al, which I always thought was so cool.
 
Nozlee S.
Nozlee S. July 9, 2012
I can't get over how beautiful that graphic is!