Produce Highlight: What’s the Dill with Cucumbers?

Is there anything cooler than a crunchy, juicy, local cucumber? Have no fear! Summer is (almost) here! And cucumbers are appearing left and right at the Chico Saturday Farmer’s Market! Cucumbers are packed full of nutrients, containing tons of dietary fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium, all while being naturally low in calories, carbohydrates, sodium, fat and cholesterol. They are 95% water, making them a great (and tasty!) was to stay hydrated this summer.

While most people think of cucumbers as vegetables, they are actually a fruit! They contain seeds and grow from the ovaries of flowering plants. Did you know they are members of the squash and melon family?

There are many ways to enjoy cucumbers, such as fermented or raw, but they also make an ideal base for vegetable juice, due to their mild flavor and high water content. Whether your looking for taste or nutritional value, the cucumber is the way to go! Keep reading for insight and ideas on which cucumbers are which, and how to go about using the types available at the Chico Certified Farmers’ Market this summer!

Kirby Cucumbers
Kirby Cumbers are small, usually about six inches long or less, with bumpy skins and firm flesh. They are the most common variety of pickling cucumbers, and are also great in salads and diced into gazpacho!

English Cucumbers
This variety of cucumber is generally sweeter than the regular, common cucumber. It is longer, sometimes a bit thinner, and has very tiny seeds. In contrast, a regular cucumber has many large seeds which can contribute to the bitter flavor. This variety is known to be the mildest available. English cucumbers can be more expensive, and are many times labeled as “seedless cucumbers” or “burpless”. They are excellent for salads and cooking, and are preferred by most chefs over common cucumbers!

What is a burpless? Burpless Cucumbers contain low or no cucurbitacin, the compound that causes bitterness and increases one’s susceptibility to ‘burping’ after eating the fruits!

Japanese Cucumbers
Japanese cucumbers are very similar to English ones, just a bit bumpier in texture on the outside. They are slender and mild in taste (some say the flavor is the most reminiscent of melons), but with very crunchy, tender-firm texture. They do not contain any developed seeds, are never bitter, and are perfect for pickling, garnishing, or just slicing and eating! They also make a great palate cleanser.

Persian Cucumbers
Persian cucumbers are thin skinned and have a great flavor. They have tiny, soft seeds and a thin palatable skin, making it unnecessary to peel them. They have a very soft but firm texture which makes them incredibly versatile! They’re great for slicing and pickling, and even make a great zucchini substitute!

Armenian Cucumbers
Armenian cucumbers are long, slender fruit that range from light green to a yellowish-green. While they resemble the look and taste of a cucumber, they are not actually a cucumber at all! They are a variety of muskmelon, a species closely related to the cucumber. They are delightfully crunchy and are delicious when simply eaten raw.

Armenian cucumbers have very soft seeds and thin skin and do not require seeding or peeling to eat! They will not hold up to pickling, however, because their softer texture will become mushy.

Lemon Cucumbers
These cucumbers break the mold: They are yellow, round, grow to about the size of a fist, and look vaguely of lemons (hence the name). Lemon cucumbers are sweet, without the bitter edge that most cucumbers have. They have thin skins, minimal soft seeds, and are flavorful.

Lemon cucumbers are tasty raw and look very nice in salads, but they make delicious pickles too!